Small Rukia?
by MsRealize
Summary: One day Ichigo and Rukia go to check on a strange reiatsu. There they are attacked by a weird guy, who seems to know Rukia! Then suddenly that guy uses some weird kido and Rukia disappears! But is she really gone?
1. Chapter 1

"**And now, let's dig in!" Ichigo yelled and started to eat his food.**

"**Hey! You should wait until everyone is ready!" Ichigo´s dad yelled, from other side of the room.**

"**Shut up! Stupid dad!" Ichigo responded and continued eating.**

"**What!" He shouted at Ichigo, and gave him one of his famous punches straight to the face, and so it began both of them started to fight against each other.**

"**Come on, both of you", Yuzu tried to make them stop.**

"**Don't bother Yuzu", Karin said from the living room. **

"**But Karin…" Yuzu started. Karin sighed and walked to the kitchen.**

"**It's useless", she said and took cookie from the cookie box.**

"**Bye to way, where is Rukia?" Karin asked all of a sudden. Ichigo and Ichigo´s dad stopped fighting.**

"**She said something about going in to the bath", Ichigo said.**

"**I can go get her", he then said and stood up from the floor, and left towards his room. After Ichigo had left all three shared similar smirks and sat around the table.**

* * *

**When he got to his room's door, knocked and went inside. She was there. She was as small as always, only noticeable difference, was that she had grown a long hair. The hair ****extend****s now to half way of her back. Ichigo had never understood why she, all of a sudden wanted to grow her hair long. **

**After staring her a while, he realized that she had only bathrobe on and that her hair was wet. Without wanting, Ichigo, inexplicably, blushed. He coughed and Rukia just now realized him, and turned around. She had that so surprised –face on.**

"**Ichigo…" Rukia started slowly. Before she could continue Ichigo interrupted her.**

"**I just came to say that food is ready", Ichigo said really awkwardly.**

"**Ichigo, look at this", Rukia said and held out her cell phone. Ichigo looked it and his eyes enlarged of surprise.**

"**What does this mean!" He asked and looked at Rukia, which had exactly same expression.**

"**I don't know, but we need to find out", Rukia said and then without warning, she turned into shinigami and jumped out of the window. Ichigo followed her example and turned into shinigami and jumped out of the window.**

* * *

**Both of them rushed forward without stopping and tried to find the cause of that thing. After a while they were able to find the cause of it. There were huge hole on the ground and from the hole came great amount of reiatsu.**

"**What the hell is that?" Ichigo asked. Rukia looked at her cell phone and clearly tried to call to Soul Society.**

"**They won't answer", she soon said and looked at Ichigo.**

"**What do we do?" She asked still looking at Ichigo.**

"**Well…we're going to smash that thing into peaces", he said and pulled his zanpaktou out. Rukia shook her head and looked Ichigo like he was a little child, but then she also pulled her zanpaktou out.**

"**Well, I can´ t have you do that", a deep voice said behind Rukia. Rukia tried quickly turn around, but whoever that was, was faster and he slashed a deep wound in Rukia´s chest. Rukia only saw, when her chest was cracked wide open and blood spilled out. After that she didn't hear or feel anything, as she started to fall through emptiness.**

"**Rukia!" Ichigo screamed and tried to grab her hand, but that guy came to his way.**

"**You bastard! Out of the way!" He screamed at him and waved his zanpaktou. Guy avoided that attack easily, but the Ichigo rushed past him and tried to catch Rukia. That guy was once again much faster and got in front of him.**

**Then they started fighting fiercely. At first it seemed that Ichigo was winning but then that guy tossed Ichigo into ground. **

"**Damn him…" Ichigo said when he tried to get himself up. Then he realized that Rukia was lean in short distance from him.**

"**Rukia!" He screamed. He noticed that Rukia tried to open her eyes little. He rushed at her and tried to get her up.**

"**Ichigo…run…" She tried to say but she started to cough blood.**

"**I can't, besides…" Ichigo said and turned to look at that weird guy, which had just landed to the ground.**

"**Oh! You both are still alive", he said really surprised. Then he started to pull something out of his pocket, it was black ball. After Rukia saw it, her eyes enlarged wide open, of fear. That man noticed it.**

"**You remember this don't you…Kuchiki Rukia!"**

"**What! Rukia do you know this guy!" Ichigo yelled and looked at Rukia. Rukia didn't answer she was too afraid to. **

"_**I have never seen her been afraid of anything. She has almost been executed and killed countless of times, but still she has never been afraid of anything. Except this guy"**_** Ichigo thought and looked at that guy.**

"**Who are you?" Ichigo yelled.**

"**You don´ t have to know, because your going to die here and now", after saying that, the ball in his hand started glow. Fear in Rukia´ s face increased and then she was fully awake.**

"**Ichigo run!" She screamed as loud as she could. After she realized that Ichigo didn't´ t do anything, she grabbed his collar and threw him away. Right before she threw her zanpaktou, a large energy blast came out of that ball. Ichigo screamed as he saw her disappear in the blast.**

"**Rukia!"**

**After the blast Ichigo looked straight at that guy. Rukia´ s zanpaktou had pierced through his chest.**

"**Damn her!" He cursed and pulled out Rukia´s zanpaktou. After realizing that Ichigo was still standing, he rushed away leaving Ichigo screaming after him. Then Ichigo remembered Rukia and tried to find her.**

"**Rukia! Rukia!" He tried to scream, but no one responded. Then he realized Rukia´ s kimono which was on the ground. Ichigo rushed there and realized that it was unharmed, just like Rukia had disappeared in thin air.**

"**Rukia…" He said and then smashed his fist to the ground.**

"**Why did you protect me, again?"**

"**I'm tired", small voice said in front of him. Ichigo watched that small creature which looked exactly like Rukia, but smaller. She had wrapped herself in Rukia´ s kimono.**


	2. Chapter 2

Ichigo couldn't believe his eyes, the girl that was sleeping in front of her, wrapped in Rukias clothes, was like a miniature version of Rukia. Ichigo leaned towards her to look closer, when she suddenly opened her eyes. They were exactly like Rukias. For a minute they just stared at each other, and then the girl suddenly started to scream.

"Who the hell are you?" The mini Rukia screamed and backed away from Ichigo. She tried to tie the clothes around her tighter. Ichigo was shocked and it took him a while to answer to her.

"I'm Kurosaki Ichigo", Ichigo said very irritated, then after a while of thinking he decided to ask who she was.

"And who are you?" Ichigo asked, but felt stupid and childish for asking, cause he was absolutely sure that he knew who the girl was. The girl got ready to answer, but then she got all quiet. And a small panic formed in her face. Her eyes widened and she held her head with both of her hands.

"I don't remember!" She yelled and tears started to form in her eyes.

"It's weird, you should be able to remember yourself", she said and she was clearly going into a shock. Then she suddenly looked at Ichigo and her eyes were filled with tears.

"What's happening to me?" She asked very frightened.

"_How the hell I should know?" _Ichigo thought but didn't say it out loud, in fact he was as frightened of the situation as she was.

Then Ichigo stood up and held his arm out. Mini Rukia looked at it and then straight to Ichigo´s face.

"I don't what is happening to you, but I know someone who might. I will take you to him", Ichigo said and looked at her.

"How do I know I can trust you?" She asked and hugged herself with her tiny hands.

"You don't", Ichigo said very amused of the situation. Then she suddenly grabbed his hand and that surprised Ichigo.

"Well, I decide to trust you", she said very bravely. Then Ichigo smiled to her and lifted her up. He was about to walk away when he remembered something, he walked away from the girl and lifted Rukia´s zankpaktou from the ground. The girl looked at him with curious eyes. Ichigo noticed and explained.

"It belongs to one of my friends", he just said and walked in front of her. The girl stared the sword for a while and then suddenly woke up and looked at Ichigo.

"Are you okay?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah…" The girl answered and Ichigo started to walk away, with the girl following him.

* * *

After they had walked a while, she fell to the ground on her knees. Ichigo stopped immediately and turned to look at her.

"What is it?" Ichigo asked and lowered himself up to her level.

"I'm just tired, as if my legs would fall of in any minute", she said and breathed heavily. Ichigo scratched the back of his head and the sighed.

"Hop on my back", he said and turned his back on her. She looked very surprised of the proposal.

"But…" She tried to resist.

"Come on, we will get there a lot faster, if I carry you", Ichigo said very impatiently. Then she hopped on his back and he stood up.

"_It's so strange, as if I'm carrying Rukia, but at the same time she feels so much lighter, not that Rukia is heavy", _Ichigo thought to himself as they walked forward.

"Do you know me?" The mini Rukia suddenly asked. Ichigo turned his head to see her face, it was so serious.

"Yeah, I think I do", Ichigo just answered, cause he wasn't completely sure if it was Rukia or not.

"Then why did you ask who I was earlier?" She asked.

"Cause I wasn´t really sure, okay", Ichigo said truthfully. Then it got quiet for a while, until the girl spoke again.

"What is my name?" She asked very quiet voice, but Ichigo could hear her.

"Rukia. Kuchiki Rukia", he just answered without thinking. The girl was quiet for a while and she hugged him tighter.

"I'm sorry…" She suddenly said and put her face in Ichigo´s neck.

"What?" Ichigo asked but she had fallen asleep. Ichigo turned to look in front of him and just smiled.

* * *

At Urahara´s place, Ichigo made Urahara do all kinds of tests on Rukia to figure out what was wrong. He walked anxiously and tried to keep his cool, when Urahara finally came back.

"So?" Ichigo asked.

"Well it is Rukia, but I'm not sure will that information make you feel any better", Urahara said and sat down across a table. Ichigo looked very confused at Urahara and sat opposite of him.

Now that he saw him completely, Ichigo saw some very weird expression on him, one that he had never seen on him before.

"What is it?" Ichigo asked. Then Urahara lifted his face.

"I'm not sure how I should say this…" Urahara started and looked at Ichigo, with worried face.

"Technically she is fine, she is just like any spirit I have ever known", Urahara said.

"So, what's the problem in that?" Ichigo asked, he didn't quite catch up, which annoyed Urahara.

"Do words "like any spirit" ring a bell?" Urahara asked with sarcasm in his voice. Ichigo was just about to shoot back when he realized the message behind his words.

"Like any spirit?" Ichigo confirmed. Urahara nodded and Ichigo looked like someone had punched him into the stomach.

"You mean all of her shinigami powers are gone?" He asked and looked Urahara, which nodded again.

"But, but she could see me and her zankpaktou didn't disappear, and…" Ichigo said and he felt as he was filled with panic.

"I don't understand how her zankpaktou didn't disappear, but the fact still remains that she is just a normal soul", Urahara said with reasonable voice.

"But her powers have returned once already and it will happen again, right?" Ichigo said and looked at Urahara. His face weirdly, emotionless.

"What?" Ichigo asked.

"Well…the situation is a little different then that time. Now somehow, her body has turned that of child, and I have no idea how I could be able to save her", Urahara said and crossed his hands.

"But, we will find the one who did this and…" Ichigo said and then suddenly remembered what Urahara had just said and stared at him.

"What did you mean by, you don't know how to save her?" Ichigo asked and Urahara looked at him with weird face, again.

"She is fine, right?" Ichigo asked.

"Well…" Urahara started very reluctantly.

* * *

Ichigo looked at sleeping Rukia. She was so small, much smaller, than he had ever seen her. Of course Rukia had been like that when she met Renji, but still it was so weird to see Rukia like that. He looked away for a second and then remembered Rukia´s zankpaktou. He took it out of its sheath and looked at it for a second. It was like any other normal katana, it didn't have any typical marks that would indentify it as Rukia´s zankpaktou, even though he could still feel her reiatsu coming from it.

He remembered the time when he had seen this swords true form. It truly earned the title of one of the most beautiful zankpaktous of the entire soul society. It was completely white zankpaktou, without any traces of failures. All and all it was a perfect and beautiful zankpaktou.

He put it back to its sheath and looked at Rukia again, she had opened her eyes.

"Hey!" Ichigo said and smiled, although he felt stupid the moment he had said it.

"Hey", she said with a quiet and weak voice, then she pulled herself up so that she was sitting. Ichigo was shocked how weak her voice sounded and how weak she actually looked.

"What is that?" Rukia asked and pointed at Ichigo´s hand. Ichigo realized he still had her zankpaktou on his hands.

"It's a sword", Ichigo said. Rukia looked at him like he was an idiot.

"Of course I know it is sword, but I was just wondering what kind of. Cause it obviously is not an ordinary sword", Rukia said with her normal, annoying, tune.

"It's called a zankpaktou", Ichigo answered and handed it over to her.

"A soul slayer?" Rukia asked and lifted her eyebrows. Then she focused to look at the sword.

"She's beautiful", she suddenly said and took it out of its sheath. Ichigo looked at Rukia for a while, with surprised expression.

"What?" Rukia asked and handed it back to Ichigo.

"Nothing, it was just weird that you said it was beautiful", Ichigo said and took the sword back.

"What do you mean? Don't you think she is beautiful?" Rukia asked, seemingly upset.

"_Wow, she is defending her zankpaktou, even though she doesn't even know it's hers", _Ichigo thought very impressed.

"No, I didn't mean it like that", he quickly said, he didn't want to make her mad.

"_Even though she is like that, I can see why her zankpaktou looks the way it does", _Ichigo thought and suddenly he smiled.

"What?" Rukia asked and lifted her left eyebrow.

"Nothing", Ichigo said and stood up.

"I think we should go", he said and walked towards the door. Rukia quickly stood up and went after him.

* * *

When they were outside of the room Rukia looked at Ichigo, with questioning face.

"What did he say?" She suddenly asked.

"Who?" Ichigo just asked.

"That friend of yours, you said he could help me remember", Rukia said with an impatient voice.

"He is not quite sure what is wrong with, he needs some time to think", Ichigo said with dull voice. Then Rukia stopped, because somehow she knew he was lying to him. She didn't know how, but some instinct inside of her told her that. Ichigo stopped too and turned to look at Rukia.

"What is it?" He just asked.

"You can't lie to me, Ichigo", she said with unexpectedly serious tune, which of course surprised Ichigo.

"Tell me the truth, Ichigo", she said with a little less serious voice. Ichigo lowered his head out of defeat.

"Even though you don't remember me, you still have the ability to see right into my heart", Ichigo said with sad voice and looked at her.

"The truth is that, Urahara really doesn't know what is wrong with you, but…" Ichigo said and then bit his tongue.

"But?" Rukia insisted him to continue.

"Whatever is causing all of this…", he said and pointed at her entire body, and got quiet.

"Go on?" Rukia insisted.

"I don't know, I seriously don't know", Ichigo said and lifted his hand above his head.

"To be honest with you Rukia; you don't remember me, you don't have your shinigami powers and your appearance is like a ten years old kid, so Rukia the truth is I have no idea how to help you!" Ichigo said and the frustration could be heard from his voice. Rukia looked at him very surprised eyes.

Then she suddenly realized something, what Ichigo said was completely true; she didn't know him, she didn't know anyone, she didn't even know herself, her soul was a prisoner in this body, so how was she able to talk to him like she knew him. She didn't have any memories, she felt herself a weak like a child, which at the moment she was. She wasn't sure which rope she should grab on to get out of that prison, but one thing was certain; she could trust this man that was standing right in front of him. She didn't know how she knew that, but among of all the people of the planet, she could trust him, and she would. If he was the rope which she should grab on, she would.

Rukia walked right in front of him and took his hand, they were so big compared to hers, that she had to use both of her small hands to grab on.

"You're scared, I can see that. It's like I'm that friend of yours but at the same time I'm not, there are no words that I can say to make you feel better, but I hope that I can remember soon", she said very serious tune and then smiled like everything was going to be okay.

"Man, you really know how to choose your words", Ichigo said and scratched the back of his head.

"Let's head back", he suddenly said and started to pull Rukia with him, as he walked away.

"To where?" Rukia asked but didn't resist.

"To my house", Ichigo simply responded, with such a carefree tune, which made Rukia feel relaxed and safe. Even though that really wasn't the feeling she should be feeling right now...

* * *

**So here it is; the second chapter! I hope you like it and please review! It might take a while before I can get the next chapter out, because at the moment I have an exam-week, so be patient:D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of it´s characters!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey! Sorry it took so long for me to write this chapter, I was busy! But here it is, finally!**

**Disclaimer: I don´t own Bleach or any of it´s characters, or anything related to it. **

* * *

Rukia and Ichigo were walking on the cold and dark street. They hadn't said even a word after they had left from Urahara´s. Rukia didn't mind the silence, but she really wanted to know more about the family, she was going to meet, but she didn't want to be the one to brake the silence.

Then suddenly Ichigo just stopped like he had hit a wall and because Rukia was walking right behind him she almost crashed on him. Then Ichigo suddenly turned around and looked at her with serious face.

"We have to make some things straight, before we go inside", Ichigo said.

Rukia looked at him very confused.

"Like what?" She just asked.

"Like the fact that my family doesn't know that you're a shinigami or that I am a one, so I would like you to keep hidden", he said as calmly as possible. Then he just kept on walking. Rukia was very hurt by the way he handled that situation.

"Wait a minute!" Rukia said and rushed to catch up to him.

"You want me to hide, why?" Rukia demanded to know.

"Because, at the moment; you're a spirit and no one can see you", Ichigo said. Rukia looked at him like he was an idiot.

"So where is the problem, if no one can see me then why should I hide, there is no sense in hiding", Rukia said and started to feel really frustrated.

"Because my sister can see you and that is the problem", Ichigo said and his frustration was heard from his voice.

"So…" Rukia said, she still didn't get what the problem was,

"They know about you, the older version of you, so if my sister would see a child version of you as a ghost, do you have any idea how bad that situation would be!" Ichigo yelled.

After a while thinking about it she actually did get it.

"So I just keep out of her way and just do what the spirits usually do", Rukia said cheerfully and tried to think, what spirits usually did do.

"And there we get to another problem, you can't stay like that just as a spirit", Ichigo said.

"Why?" Rukia asked again.

Man, Ichigo really was starting to hate that question. If it would really be Rukia he wouldn't have to answer all these stupid and so simple questions.

"Because if you're like that, a hollow will come after you and eat you or a shinigami will come and sent you to Soul Society", Ichigo said and hoped that she would shut up now, he was wrong though.

"What's a hollow?" Rukia asked and Ichigo sighed out of desperation.

"It's a monster which eats human spirits and we shinigamis kill them", Ichigo said. He could have never believed that he would have to explain something like this to Rukia; of all people to her.

"Ok so; I can't be seen as a spirit neither can I be seen by your family either, so how am I supposed to do that", Rukia said and put her hands to her hips.

"Well we put in a gigai and then other hollows or shinigamis won't know that you're a spirit", Ichigo said cheerfully, which was obviously faked, and then started to walk away.

"What's a gigai?" Rukia asked and rushed after him.

Ichigo sighed and wanted to scream out of frustration; this was going to be a long night.

* * *

It took them a while but finally they arrived at Ichigo´s house. By the time they got there he was already so frustrated that Rukia could sense it from him, and because of that she walked few steps behind him, just to be safe.

Rukia stopped to look at the house and then she had weird flashback; she was standing in front of the house and rushed with amazing speed, to save a boy from a monster which had a weird mask. She couldn't see the boys face, but she could feel the pain when the monster almost bit her arm of. Just when she was about to watch the boy's face; she was back in the present.

Ichigo had put his hand on Rukia´s shoulder and tried to get her attention. She was just standing there with empty look on her face.

"Rukia", he called and then she woke up. Her face looked very confused and she stared at Ichigo for a while.

"What is it?" Ichigo asked.

"Nothing", Rukia said and shook her head.

"So this is your house, it looks nice."

"Yeah…", Ichigo mumbled and started to walk away.

"We'll go through from back, from my window", Ichigo said and walked at the back of the house, Rukia following right behind him.

At the back of the house, Ichigo grabbed Rukia into his arms and jumped to his window. He opened it slowly and jumped inside. When he was inside he put Rukia down and went to put on the lights. His body and Rukia´s gigai were exactly at the same place where they had left them; lying on the floor.

Ichigo went and grabbed his body, and went inside it. Then he went to check on Rukia´s gigai, when he was about to move he realized that Rukia was staring at him.

"What?" Ichigo asked out of annoyance.

"How did you do that?" She asked and rushed to check on him.

"So this is a gigai, huh?" She mumbled and pinched Ichigo´s arm, making him to gently slap her.

"Stop it! This is not a gigai, this is my real body!" He yelled at her, which made her look at him with questioning face.

"Your real body? So, does that mean that you're not really dead?" Rukia asked.

"That's right", Ichigo said and lowered down to look at Rukia´s gigai.

"Then how are you a shinigami?" Rukia asked.

"It's a long story", he said and his voice sounded very sad. Then stood up and walked to the door. At the door he turned around to look at her.

"Stay here I'll go get some clothes for you", he said and walked out of the room.

"Wait!" Rukia tried to yell after him but he didn't listen. He just left him with her gigai.

Rukia lowered herself to watch the body that was just lying on the floor. She watched her face, her hands, her legs, her hair; all and all she was beautiful young lady; if she was allowed to think. She was surprised to see how similar she really did look compared to her current form. Even though that body on the floor was much older than she herself. Then she suddenly realized something that body was way too big for her; so what she should do.

She stood up and looked the door, hoping that Ichigo would show up at any minute. He didn't show up and for a minute she thought that she should go look for him, but she didn't want to risk that she would run into Ichigo´s sister. Her eyes found their way back to her body and then she suddenly decided to lift it up to lean on the closet's door. But the moment she touched it a bright light started to glow, which almost blinded her.

* * *

"Rukia? I brought the clothes…what the…", Ichigo said and entered the room, but he was cut off by a sudden appearance that was lying on the floor in front of him. It was Rukia, well almost it was the small Rukia in her gigai and the gigai had got as small as she was.

The small Rukia lifted herself up and looked really confused of the situation, and when he realized Ichigo she started immediately to apologize.

"I´m so sorry! I didn't mean to! I just touched it and then suddenly I was inside it and…" she explained in a panic and all of her words got mixed and soon he couldn't understand a word that she was saying. Then he just sighed and threw her the clothes he had picked up. She looked them with surprised face.

"Put them on. I'll have to go downstairs and explain where I and Rukia suddenly disappeared", he said and was about to leave but then he suddenly turned around and pointed her with his finger.

"And you, stay hidden", he said with serious tune and then left.

Rukia looked after him very confused and lost, but got herself soon together and looked at the clothes he had brought. He had brought her a violet dress which was sleeveless and a black cardigan.

She dropped the towel on the floor and put the dress on. The clothes Ichigo had picked suited her surprisingly well. She looked around the room if there by any chance could be a mirror. But it was a boy's room so of course there wasn't any. For a second she thought the opportunity of going out of the room and finding a mirror, but she didn't want risk to be seen by anyone, so she just stayed at the room and sat down on the floor.

She waited quite a long time and she started to get anxious, then she stood up and walked to the door. She opened it and looked outside, and then she heard sound and quickly closed the door. She listened as the footsteps were getting closer and then she figured that she should hide and quickly. She looked around herself and saw a small closet, without thinking she opened the door and jumped inside. And not even a minute too early because the next moment the door opened and Yuzu and Karin came inside.

They walked around the room for a while until Yuzu noticed the towel on the floor.

"I guess she really did leave", Yuzu said and she sounded really disappointed. Karin just lifted her shoulders and took the towel.

"Well Ichi-nii did say that she had something to take care of", Karin said but she couldn't help but worry a little.

"I hope Rukia-chan comes back soon", Yuzu said and her voice, was filled with sorrow.

Rukia felt great need to go outside and show herself to the sisters, but her promise to Ichigo made her stay on put. She didn't even understand what made her feel that way, she didn't even remember their faces, and she couldn't even recognize their voices. She leaned at the back of the closet and hugged herself.

Yuzu looked around the room and then walked away with the towel. Karin was about to follow her sister when she suddenly turned around and looked straight at the closet, she didn't know why she had done it but she just could feel something through the door. Then she just let it go and walked out of the room.

On the closet, Rukia had held her breath and could finally breathe freely. She let herself fell down and stayed down. She felt so comfortable in that tiny closet, it felt like home and weird, but true it also smelled like home. She let herself get deeper in her own thoughts and before she noticed it she had fallen asleep.

* * *

It took an eternity to make his family listen to him, but finally he had got through. He had told them that Rukia´s family member had contacted her and that they wanted to discuss some minor business with her. He hadn't asked her what they were and so he had let her go, and so, and so. Then he said that Rukia would be back in couple of days.

He wasn't shocked that he had to lie to his family, heck he lied to them all the time. But he didn't like lying about Rukia because his family was clearly fond of her and he had no idea what to say to them if something would happen to her.

His head was filled with dark thoughts as he entered his room. He immediately noticed that her sisters had been there, first of all the towel which Rukia was wearing was gone, and secondly…well the towel was good enough. He also noticed that the clothes he had brought for Rukia were gone and in the matter of fact so was Rukia. At first his face showed a small panic but then he looked in to the closet; and there she was sleeping wrapped into a blanket that had been there.

For a while he just looked at her sleeping there. She looked so peaceful and defenceless, but Ichigo knew that that wasn't the case. Even without her shinigami powers she had kicked his butt countless of times, so he didn't have to worry about Rukia. She was mentally and physically so strong that it sometimes scared the shit out of him. But that was Rukia.

Ichigo closed the door and started to change in his pyjamas. Then he went to bed. For a while he just lied in his bed and thought of the situation. He should have probably told her what Urahara had told him. And he was about to tell her, but when he saw her like that sleeping defencelessly like a normal little girl, he just couldn't make himself to do it.

He sighed out of desperation and hoped that he would never have to tell her that. Or that he would have to tell his family that Rukia wasn't going to come back. Many thought in his mind he finally closed his eyes and fell to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Rukia slowly opened her eyes. For a while she just stared in front of her but then she suddenly panicked. She got up so fast that she hit her head to the ceiling. She held her head in pain and suddenly the door opened. Rukia looked at the orange haired boy and the boy looked at her.

"Are you okay?" The boy asked and he was clearly worried. Rukia looked at him and tried to get in her head, who was he.

"I asked, are you okay!" The boy yelled clearly annoyed. That made Rukia angry and she yelled back at him.

"What did you guess? I hit my head in your small closet! Besides what kind of question are you asking me with that pathetic face, Ichigo!" She suddenly yelled but was immediately shocked the way she had said it.

Ichigo looked at Rukia very confused but started to suddenly smile then he just walked away and went to pack up his schoolbag. Rukia just sat silently and looked at Ichigo she didn't know should she apologize or what.

"I´m sorry", she suddenly said with quiet voice. Ichigo turned to look at Rukia and saw how remorseful she looked.

"It's okay", Ichigo said with carefree tune. Rukia looked at her with surprised face.

"But…I just yelled at you...even though I don't…" _know you. _Rukia said but didn't finish the sentence.

"It´s okay, actually I'm more surprised about the fact that you actually apologized to me", Ichigo said and walked to the closet.

"Listen Rukia, you might not remember, but we used to fight a lot. It was bunch of meaningless stuff…" Ichigo said and his face looked very troubled. Rukia looked at him very confused. Then Ichigo suddenly shook his head and the look on his face disappeared.

"Anyways, what I'm trying to say is that you don't have to worry about it", Ichigo said and walked to the door.

"Wait!" Rukia yelled and jumped of from the closet. Then she rushed after Ichigo.

* * *

"So Ichigo where are we going?" Rukia asked very curiously.

"Not we, just me and I'm going to school", Ichigo said very annoyed. He was about to reach his limit with her.

"What is that place?" Rukia asked. She sounded so excited about all of this.

"It's a place where people go to learn, don't ask me these questions it droves me crazy", Ichigo said and tried to keep his face on the road.

"Well excuse me! It's not my fault that I don't remember anything!" Rukia yelled back at him. Then Ichigo suddenly stopped and Rukia almost run into him, this is it he had reached his limit. He turned around and faced her.

"That's exactly why you should head back to my house and stay in the closet!" Ichigo yelled.

"It's so small I can't move in there, besides I want to see around more", Rukia said and she had a childish look in her face. That annoyed Ichigo even more.

"You're not a child! Just do as I say!" Ichigo yelled.

"Well excuse me but no matter how you look at me; I am!" Rukia yelled and pointed her chest with her finger.

"Right I forgot that you're just a stupid little brat! Who can't do a single thing by herself!" Ichigo yelled and Rukia backed up a little, but Ichigo wasn't finished.

"Now you're a frightened over such a small stuff! If you would be the real Rukia, you would understand the seriousness of the situation!" Ichigo yelled.

Rukia´s eyes started to fill with tears, Ichigo noticed that and started to regret his words.

"Yes! I'm just a little stupid brat! And I am sorry that I'm not the Rukia you want me to be! I'm sorry that I don't remember anything, and that I'm the wrong Rukia for you!" She yelled and before Ichigo could do anything she turned around started to run away. That made Ichigo even angrier.

"That's right just run away from anything! You damn coward!" Ichigo yelled, turned around and started to walk away.

* * *

Soon Ichigo reached the school, he was still so damn angry that he didn't notice Inoue trying to say hello to him.

"Hello Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue said with happy tune. But Ichigo just walked forward and didn't notice anything until Ishida confronted him.

"Kurosaki!" Ishida yelled and Ichigo stopped.

"What!" He yelled that surprised both Inoue and Ishida. Ichigo regretted immediately the way he had said it.

"Sorry, I just had a lot in my mind. What is it?" He asked and scrubbed the back of his head.

"Nothing", Inoue said. She didn't want to make him even angrier.

"Where is Kuchiki-san?" Ishida asked. After Ichigo heard that name rage flashed in his eyes.

"I don't know", he just answered without thinking and walked away. Inoue and Ishida looked at each other very troubled.

* * *

Ichigo just walked to his locker, put his shoes in it and slammed it. Everyone in the room looked at him but he didn't care.

"_What the hell is wrong with her! That bitch!" _He though when he walked to the class room and sat on his seat and tried to keep his thoughts from Rukia.

* * *

Rukia ran as fast as she could. Her legs were hurting, so did her lungs and her entire body, but she didn't care she just kept on running without thinking. Then she suddenly fell to the ground. Her entire body felt like it was on fire and her knees were bleeding, but she didn't get up.

For a while she just lied on the ground without moving even a muscle. But then she decided to get up when people started to stare at her. Her hands and legs were full of wounds and they were bleeding but she just kept on walking forward. She didn´t run anymore she just limped forward.

* * *

Soon she got to the centre of the town. She stopped in front of one of the shops and looked herself from the window. She looked terrible; her hands and legs were filled with dry blood, her hair was a mess and her eyes were completely red from crying. Everyone in town looked her with worry in their eyes. Some of the even came to ask her what was wrong but she just ignored them.

She kept walking forward when she suddenly came across a small playground. There were no children in there. She stopped to look it more closely and suddenly she got a flashback.

_She saw herself standing in this playground talking to an orange haired guy who was wearing a black kimono. He had his back turned to her._

"_Are you prepared…Ichigo?" She said, without even realizing it. The orange haired boy didn't answer for a while, until he suddenly spoke up._

"_No, I ain´t", he just said clearly irritated._

"_Be prepared? I don't care about that!" He yelled._

"_I saved this kid ´cuz I wanted to. Are you different?"_

"_What?" She asked again with shocked voice. Then he turned around to look at her._

"_Last night, you…risked your neck to save me." He said and he had a very serious look on his face._

"_At that moment, were you thinking about your duty as a shinigami? When you risk your life, that ain´t the reason!" He yelled at her. When he said that, she felt as something moved inside of her. Then she saw a monster with white mask getting up and charging behind him. But he just kept talking._

"_At least, for me…" he said and turned around to face the monster._

"…_it ain´t!" he yelled and stabbed the monster straight in the middle of its mask…_

Then suddenly she was back at the playground. She looked her hands and the to the ground.

"What was that?" She asked to herself, then she started to head over to the swings. Then she sat on one of them and started to swing herself back and front. She tried to remember who she was but it was hard. Only thoughts that crossed her mind were focused on Ichigo.

"_Why do I think of him! He is just a moron!" _She thought and squeezed the chains of the swing.

"_Why?" _She thought and she loosened her grip on the chains.

"_It hurts every time I think about him?" _She thought to herself and tears started to fall again.

Then suddenly something cold touched her arm and she lifter her face. It was snow petal; they were falling from the skies. It was so white and pure. She didn´t quite understand why but it made her feel much better.

"Hello", a deep voice suddenly said which surprised Rukia so that she almost fell down to the ground. She lifted her face; in front of her was standing a guy who was covered by black cloak. His face was completely covered.

"Can I join you, Rukia?" He asked. Rukia´s eyes widened by surprise.

"You know me?" She asked with disbelieve in her voice.

"Of course", he said and took the hood of from his face. Rukia took one terrified breath and put her hands to her mouth.

Across his face was terrible scar and it continued all the way to his chest. When he took his cloak of, Rukia realized that he was wearing a black kimono just like Ichigo. And he had a sword too.

"Is that a zankpaktou?" She asked and pointed the sword. The boy pointed the sword surprised.

"You mean this?" He asked when he sat to the swing next to Rukia. Rukia nodded.

"Yes, her name is Sen no Tsurara", he said very proudly and pet its sheath.

"You mean all of them have names?" She asked curiously.

"Of course", he answered.

"_I wonder what her name was?" _She wondered with a troubled look on her face.

"Don't look so troubled", the guy said and laughed. She looked at him with weird expression.

"By the way, what is your name?" She asked.

"My name is Takami, Takami Rikuo", he said with serious tune. Rukia felt something move inside her and she put her hand in her chest. Rikuo noticed it.

"You remember my name don't you?" He asked and he had a pleased look in her face. Rukia didn´t say anything.

"You wonder why you feel like that. Don't you?" He said and Rukia looked at him. He had a weird expression.

"Rukia we have known each other for a long time. We have always been there for each other", he said and grabbed her hands.

"Unlike that orange haired shinigami; I would never yell at you or hurt you in any ways. I would always be there for you. So…" He said and squeezed her hands.

"Come with me", he said and Rukia looked in to his eyes.

He was saying such sweet words, words that she desperately needed right now. But something was telling her that he was lying to him. And the way he talked about Ichigo, like he knew him.

"That orange haired bastard doesn't care about you, he only cares about himself!"

"Stop it…" she said desperately.

"He is a selfish bastard who only cares about himself!"

"Stop…"

"He is just trash!"

"Stop it!" She yelled and yanked her hands from his. Then she stood up and walked away from him.

"Stop talking about him like you know him!" She yelled at him.

"But Rukia…" he started and stood up.

"Stop calling me by my name!" She yelled at him with pure rage.

"If we're so close, then where were you when all of this happened to me? You weren't there but guess who was? Ichigo! Ichigo, was there when I didn´t remember anything! When I first opened my eyes and couldn't remember who I was. I was terrified but there he was, he was standing right next to me! He was there for me!" Rukia yelled out of frustration.

"But where is he now?" He suddenly asked. Rukia was frozen.

"First he yelled at you and then he just abandoned you! How can you even defend someone like that!" He yelled at Rukia. Rukia lowered her head out of defeat when she suddenly realized something and lifted her face.

"Wait a second how did you know we were fighting?" She asked and looked at him. He had a small smirk in his face.

"You were watching", she said and took one step back.

"Yes, I was waiting for him to leave you alone. And now you are", he said with dangerous voice. Then he started to walk towards her. And she kept backing up until she suddenly fell down.

He was in front of her in a second.

"Now come with me peacefully and I won't hurt you", he said and held out his hand. Rukia was shacking all over.

"No!" She yelled and kicked him as hard as she could right in the middle of his face. He leaned back a little but it took Rukia enough time to jump up and flee from the scene.

"What an annoying bitch", Rikuo said to himself and held hid face. Then suddenly two other guys showed up they were also shinigami.

"Are you okay Rikuo-sama?" They asked.

"Yeah, just catch that bitch. Teach her a lesson but don't kill her", he said.

"Yes!" They said and both of them disappeared.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don´t own Bleach or anything related to it. **


	5. Chapter 5

Rukia ran like hell, couple times she looked behind her and she had fallen down couple of times. But she had always got up and continued to run. She knew that he would come after her and that there was no way she would be able to escape him by foot; but she had to try. Then there was suddenly a shinigmami standing in front of her. She stopped like she had hit on a wall.

"Where are you going little girl?" He asked with a smirk on his face. Rukia looked behind her finding another shinigami standing behind her.

"There's no escape from us", the one how was standing in front of her said. When she was about to turn around she was suddenly lifted up from her neck and pressed to a wall.

"We are going to have a little fun with you little girl", the shinigami who had lifted her up said with sadistic voice.

Rukia had a terrified look on her face and she tried to free herself but that shinigami was too powerful for her.

"So you want to get down, huh?" Shinigami said and looked the other shinigami who was smiling as well.

"Okay", he said and threw Rukia to a wall behind them. All the air escaped from her lungs and she fell to the ground. She didn't even try to get up; she knew there was no way she would be able to escape. Tears started to appear in her eyes.

"Ichigo…" She said with small and terrified voice.

* * *

Ichigo tried to listen what the teacher was saying but he found it so difficult that he just gave up. He stared outside of the window and allowed himself to get drown in his thoughts. They were all about Rukia.

He was wondering was she alright and where she was. Now that he has calmed down; he realized how childish he had been and he felt ashamed. Of course it wasn´t her fault that she didn't remember who she was. She was scared as much as he was of the situation. She just didn't want to be alone and Ichigo had yelled at her because of it. Damn, he was a jerk. He had to apologize to her when he would get back home.

Then he realized that it had started to snow. Without thinking he started to smile. The snow reminded him always of Rukia and how happy the snow made her. He remembered on time when Rukia had been staying at his house and then it had started to snow.

"_You idiot! Come on!" Rukia yelled at Ichigo._

"_I'm coming! I'm coming! Jesus!" Ichigo rushed over to Rukia. He had no idea what was so important. When he got into his room; Rukia was sitting in his bed and looking out of the window._

"_So what is it?" Ichigo asked very frustrated._

"_Look", Rukia said and pointed out of the window. Ichigo walked to Rukia and sat on the bed, next to her. Then he looked outside of the window. There was nothing unordinary in there._

"_So what is it?" He asked again._

"_Can't you see!" She yelled and glanced at him offended._

"_See what?" He yelled at her._

"_The snow!" She yelled and turned to look at the window again. Ichigo looked again and realized that she was right. It was the first snow._

"_It's the first snow, so what?" Ichigo asked and looked at the Rukia. She was leaning on the window._

"_Ain´t it beautiful?" Rukia said. Ichigo noticed that she was completely enchanted by the snow. He didn't realize what made it so important to her._

_Ichigo just kept watching her as she stared outside of the window with enchanted eyes. Then she just suddenly stood up, she took her soul candy out and got out of her gigai._

"_What are you?" Ichigo asked, but she had already opened the window and jumped outside. Ichigo quickly followed and got out his body. Then he followed her._

_She just rushed forward without saying anything._

"_Jou Rukia! Where are we going?" Ichigo yelled to her but she didn't answer. Then she suddenly stopped on a top of an high building. Ichigo rushed next to her and looked at her._

"_Would you now explain why…" he started but was silenced by the view she was looking. It was the Karakura town but it was covered in white. It was outstandingly beautiful._

"_In here is the best view to look the town", Rukia suddenly said. Ichigo woke up and looked at her; she had such a happy face._

_Then she turned her face and looked at Ichigo. She looked so beautiful when small snow petals fell down to her black hair. Ichigo couldn't help himself but smile to her._

"_What?" Rukia asked and lifted her eyebrow._

"_Nothing", Ichigo said and turned his face away…_

Then Ichigo was suddenly back at the class room. He had felt something weird in his chest. And then he sensed two weird reiatsu he looked outside of the window. He didn't see anything but sure as hell could sense them. He looked around the class room and noticed that also Inoue, Ishida and Sado had sensed it.

At first Ichigo thought he should leave it at that until he sensed two other reiatsu. The other was so small that Ichigo almost missed it. But it was without a doubt Rukias, immediately he stood up everyone in the class looked at him.

"What is it, Kurosaki-kun?" The teacher asked.

"I…" Ichigo started.

"I have to go to the bathroom!" He said and rushed out of the room; Ishida, Inoue and Sado looking after him. Few minutes later they followed him.

Ichigo kept on running and got out of his body jut outside the school. He had sensed Inoue and the others coming after him; so it was safe to leave his body there. After he had turned in to a shinigami he used shunpo to get to Rukia as fast a possible.

"_Wait for me…Rukia!" _He thought to himself.

* * *

Rukia was sitting on the ground leaning to the wall. She wasn´t sure how she was still alive but it was probably their objective to keep her alive; but why? She coughed blood when one of the shinigamis came and kicked her in to the stomach.

"Are you dead, bitch?" He asked and kept on kicking her.

"Hmph…this bitch is boring. Hey Yuri!" The shinigami said and turned to look the other shinigami which was just standing.

"What is it?" The shinigami, called Yuri, asked.

"Boss said that we couldn't kill her, but I wonder if we can cut few arms or legs?" The other shinigami asked.

"I suppose, as long as she doesn't die", Yuri said and lifted his shoulders.

"Well then…" He said and took slowly his zankpaktou out. Then he lifted it up with his hand and Rukia opened her eyes just to see him swing it down towards her.

"_Someone…save me! Ichigo…" _She thought and closed her eyes.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" She suddenly heard someone yell and then the shinigami stepped away from her, when a bright blue crossed them. Then suddenly Ichigo was standing in front of her holding his sword out.

"Ichigo?" Rukia asked with small and weak voice.

Ichigo turned around immediately he heard her voice. She was all beaten up and in very bad shape. Ichigo leaned down to look at her.

"Oh my god! What did they do to you?" He asked when he lifted her up in his arms. Rukia slowly opened her eyes and looked at Ichigo. Her eyes were so foggy that Ichigo wasn't sure did Rukia actually see him.

"Don't worry I will get you out of here", he said and pressed her tightly to his chest.

Then he stood up and lifted Rukia up in his arms. Then he turned around and looked at the two other shinigamis who had been staring him for a while.

"Who the hell are you?" The shinigami who had been kicking Rukia asked and pointed him with his finger. Ichigo looked at both of them with rage in his eyes.

"I'm a substitute shinigami, Kurosaki Ichigo!" He pronounced proudly. Both of them were clearly shocked until the other one started to laugh very loudly.

"So that's it huh?" One of them said and lowered his head.

"Yuri!" He yelled and looked at the shinigami standing behind him.

"What?" The shinigami called Yuri asked.

"We didn't have any instructions on this one did we?" He asked and pointed at Ichigo.

"No, we didn't", Yuri answered.

"So we can kill him?" The other shinigami asked and looked at Ichigo with sadistic smile.

"Do whatever you want", Yuri said and swung his hand.

"Great, let's have some fun before we get this girl to our boss", he said and lifted his zankpaktou.

"Boss?" Ichigo asked and then remembered the fourth reiatsu he had sensed.

"Well then boy, should we get this over with", the shinigami yelled and charged at Ichigo. Ichigo dodged just in time before the shinigami stabbed him.

Ichigo jumped quickly to the sky and tried to locate the shinigami. The other one was just standing there but the other one was no where to be found.

"Are you looking for me?" A voice suddenly said behind him. Ichigo quickly evaded the attack but he wasn't fast enough. The attack made a large wound in his left hand.

"This is it, Kurosaki Ichigo!" The shinigami yelled as he swung his sword towards Ichigo. Ichigo didn't know what he should do; he was barely able to hold his sword and he had Rukia in his right hand. So he couldn't defend himself in any ways.

He got ready for the strike but then suddenly a blue arrow flew past them and almost hit the shinigami. He was fast so he was able to avoid the attack but then thousands other arrows flew at him and he had to flee away from Ichigo. Ichigo looked surprised at the ground and saw Ishida, Sado and Inoue standing there.

Ichigo jumped to the ground and was immediately surrounded by the three of them.

"That was pathetic, Kurosaki", Ishida said and glanced at the shinigami he had shot. It was standing next to another shinigami; he was holding his hand which told that Ishida had hit him. He wasn't very pleased by their sudden appearance.

"Shut up", Ichigo just mumbled and then looked at the girl in his arms. When Ichigo looked at her the other three noticed her as well.

"Kurosaki-kun who is this girl?" Inoue asked and lowered herself down to look at the girl. When she saw her face she was shocked.

"Kurosaki-kun is she…" Inoue started but couldn't finish her sentence. Ishida and Sado were both surprised also when they saw the girl's face.

"Kurosaki, what is this?" Ishida asked.

"Inoue?" Ichigo just asked and looked at Inoue.

"Yes!" Inoue said and straightened her back.

"Could you please heal her?" Ichigo begged and the sound he made surprised all thee of them; it was so full of regret.

"Of course!" Inoue said, and then she took the girl from Ichigo and put her to the ground. She was terrified by what they had done to her, her body was full of wounds and clearly some of her bones were broken. But her face was the biggest shock, not because of the wounds, but because the way it looked it was a spitting image of Rukia´s.

After a while of checking, Inoue finally started to heal her. When Ichigo saw her wounds getting better he stood up and turned to face the two shingamis who had just been standing there. He was about to charge to them when Ishida put his hand on his shoulder.

"What the hell is happening in here?" He asked with demanding voice. Ichigo didn´t respond.

"Kurosaki!" Ishida yelled and Ichigo looked at him with empty eyes.

"I don't know", Ichigo asked desperately.

"What do you mean you don't know? Is that girl Rukia?" Ishida yelled at him and pointed then at the girl who Inoue was healing.

"She is Rukia", Ichigo just answered. All three of them looked at him with disbelieve in their faces.

"But how is that…" Ishida began but then the other shinigami interrupted him.

"Yo! You guys are you done already?" He yelled and everyone looked at him.

"I would like to get this over with", he said started to walk towards them.

"Who the hell are you and what do you want from Kurosaki?" Ishida asked calmly but took his bow out.

"Me?" He asked and pointed himself.

"My name is Yutaka Higa and that…" He said and pointed the guy who was standing behind him.

"Is Hyuga Yuri. It's not like we have anything to do with that orange haired brat or with any of you", he said and swung his hand on above of all four of them.

"It's just that kid who we want. If you hand her over quietly we will leave you alone", he said and the look on his face told that he didn't wish for an peaceful solution.

"Well I must disappoint you but…" Ishida said and pointed his bow at the shinigami.

"…we won't hand her over", Ishida finished.

"That's too bad…" He said and lowered his voice. Then suddenly the other shinigami, called Yuri, attacked Ishida from behind. Ishida was faster and was able to dodge in time then they disappeared in to thin air.

The shinigami called Higa whistled.

"Whoa! I'm impressed that boy sure is fast", he said and smiled then he glanced the remaining three. Ichigo got lifted his sword and Sado changed his hand. After seeing Sado´s hand his expression got even more surprised.

"Wow! This place is full of weirdos!" He yelled and then laughed. Ichigo bit his teeth and put both of his hands on his sword.

"Bankai!" Ichigo yelled as loud as he could. For a second Higa looked like he was terrified of the turn the situation had just taken but then it changed to a pure joy.

"This is great!" He yelled and charged to the sky. Soon the dust cleared and Ichigo was there standing with his bankai out.

"Tensa Zangetsu", he said calmly and looked then to the sky.

"Yo, Sado?" He called still keeping his face looking to the skies.

"Yes?" Sado asked and looked at Ichigo.

"Can I count on you to protect them?" He said and then he lowered his head, and turned around to look straight to Sado.

"Yes", Sado just answered. Ichigo took a deep breath then he walked to Rukia and lowered himself so that he could touch her face.

"I´m so sorry", he just said as he pet her cheek. Her eyes were closed.

Ichigo squeezed the sword in his hand and stood up. Then he used shunpo to get close to Higa. In a matter of seconds he was right in front of him.

"You're ready huh?" Higa said and lifted his eyebrow. Ichigo didn't answer he just swung his sword so that it almost cut Higa´s head in half.

"Wow! You really are serious!" Higa yelled and laughed as he lifted his zankpaktou. Then they started to fight against each other; with everything they got.

* * *

"_Something is happening out there, I can hear the sounds of a battle. But who? Who is fighting out there? My body feels so heavy, why am I even here? What's happening? What is this warm light that I'm feeling?" _

"Look Sado! She's coming to!" a female voice yelled.

"_Who is that? I somehow feel like I know it, but still she should keep it down…"_

"Inoue, try taking it easy", a deep but gentle voice said.

"_Who was that? He sounded so gentle yet strong, yet reliable…what am I saying? I'm probably imagining things…why would there be anyone who would like to save me? I don't remember anyone, I don't know anyone…except that one idiot…who he was again? Right, he was Ichigo, Kurosaki Ichigo. Right we got into an argument and then…I don't remember…"_

"Wake up Kuchiki-san! You can't go back to sleep! Wake up!" A loud and panicked female voice yelled at her.

"_I'm being yelled again…but why? Oh right, I was being beaten up by those two weird guys and then…what happened then? It's so hard to remember…but I felt so happy…and…Right! It was Ichigo, he came for me!" _

Suddenly Rukia opened her eyes and she looked like she had never even been near death. Quickly she stood up but she hit her head on a weird wall which was…orange?

"What?" Rukia asked and rubbed her head.

"Carefully Kuchiki-san", that same female voice said. And then suddenly the wall was gone and next to her was sitting a teenage girl with long orange hair. Rukia looked at her very weirdly until she noticed a big guy standing behind her. He had a brown hair and the hair covered entirely his other eye. Besides his big size he was normal, until Rukia noticed his arm, it was very weird looking.

"Kuchiki-san?" The girl asked and Rukia placed her eyes on her.

"Who are you?" Rukia asked even though she knew she might hurt the girl's feelings; and she was right. The minute that question got out of her lips that girl's face was filled with desperation.

"You mean? That…you don't recognise me?" The girl asked and pointed herself. Rukia shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I don't remember any of you", she said and much of her surprise she really meant it; even though, she didn't even remember them.

The orange haired girl just sat there shocked of the news but the big guy approached her and lowered himself up to her level.

"So you don't remember any of us?" He asked with that deep and gentle voice of his. Rukia didn't know why but she really enjoyed that voice.

"No, and I'm deeply sorry", she said an lowered her head.

"What about Ichigo?" He then asked.

"You know Ichigo?" Rukia asked and lifted her head so that she could see his face.

"Yes, he is there", the big guy said and pointed out to the sky. It took Rukia a while but finally she was able too see glimpses of two people who were fighting in the sky. Other was Ichigo and other was the guy who had attacked her earlier.

"_So he really did come save her", _Rukia thought and hugged herself. Then tears started to form in her eyes.

Inoue and Sado looked worried at Rukia when tears started to suddenly fall from her eyes. Rukia lowered her head and hugged herself tightly.

"I'm so sorry…" she whispered but Inoue or Sado couldn't hear her.

"I think we should get her out of here", Sado said and looked at Inoue.

"But…" Inoue tried to protest.

"They said; that they were after Kuchiki, so I think we should get her to safety", Sado said and looked at Inoue.

"You're right", Inoue said with serious tune in her voice.

"Then let's get going", Sado said and got ready to lift Rukia up.

"Where do you think you're going?" A voice suddenly asked. It caught both of their attention and they looked to the direction of the voice.

There was standing a shinigami which had black hair and a scar which started from his face and continued all the way to his chest. He was just standing there and watching them with a smile.

"I was asking where you are going." He asked. When Rukia heard his voice she lifted her face and started right at him. When he realized that Rukia was staring at him, his smile deepened.

"Well if it isn't the little Rukia!" He said and started to walk towards them.

"This time you're not getting away", he said with dangerous tune.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don´t own the Bleach or anything related to it. Sorry it took so long to update. But here it is! Happy Holidays for everyone!**


	6. Chapter 6

Rukia looked terrified as the shinigami from before stood before her smiling at her.

"Hello, little Rukia!" The shinigami called Takami Rikuo said and walked towards her. Unconsciously Rukia backed away from him. Sado and Inoue realized how terrified she was. Sado walked in front of Rukia to protect her.

Rukia looked at the giant guy with surprised eyes. The giant turned to look at her and lifted his thump up. Then he smiled reassuringly at her and turned to face the man in front of him.

"Don't worry Kuchiki-san, we will protect you!" The woman next to her said and Rukia looked at her. She smiled at her and strangely that made Rukia wanna smile as well.

_"Ichigo...why do I feel like this, around them?", _Rukia thought to herself and touched her chest.

_"Is it because...we're...friends..." _Rukia thought and lifted her face, to look at the big guy in front of her.

Sado got ready to fight the guy in front of him and took the battle stance. The guy in front of him stopped and looked at Sado with curious eyes.

"Are you serious?" He asked with amused tune.

"You really think that, a human like you can defeat a shinigami like me?" He looked at Sado like he was bug. Then Sado lifted his fist and started to power up. The guy felt Sado´s reiatsu and was seemingly surprised. Then he suddenly slapped himself to his forehead and started to laugh. Sado and Inoue looked at him very confused.

"Well, well Rukia, you sure have gotten yourself a bunch of weird guardians, but...", the guy said and suddenly he was standing right in front of Sado. Sado´s eyes widened out of surprise.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Sado tried to avoid the strike, but that guy was much faster; he slashed a big wound straight in the middle of Sado´s back. Sado started to bleed and he fell to the ground.

"Sado!" Inoue yelled in panic. Rukia couldn't find herself to move or even make a noise.

"Next is you, little missie", the guy said and approached Inoue. Inoue was glued to that place. She couldn't move she was too terrified. As Rukia realized him approaching, she still couldn't bring herself to move.

"Goodbye", the guy said as he lifted his sword. He was juts about to slice Inoue in half when he was forced back by a black wave. And then Ichigo was standing in front of Rukia.

"Don't even think of touching them!" Ichigo said with serious tune.

The guy looked at Ichigo very amused.

"So, you must be substitute shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo", the guy said and put hid sword down.

"How do you know me?" Ichigo asked and pointed his sword at the guy.

"I know everything, don't I Rukia?" The guy said with confidence and winked to Rukia. Ichigo realized that and he got really angry.

"How do you know Rukia?" He yelled at him

"Shut up, that isn't none of your damn business", the guy said and suddenly he was standing right in front of him.

"Die", he said with low tune and suddenly there was huge wound in Ichigo´s chest. Ichigo nearly got away from fatal wound.

"That was quite impressive, but..." the guy said when he was again standing in front of Ichigo.

"Not good enough", he said and then they clashed their swords again.

* * *

Rukia looked terrified as Ichigo and Rikuo disappeared from her sight. She tried to follow them but her eyes couldn't keep up. Then she realized that, that other guy, with glasses was know fighting with the other two shinigamis.

She tried to make sense of the situation, but she was too scared to even move.

"Sado!" Rukia suddenly heard the woman yelling and she turned to look the other way. She saw that woman rushing to that giant man and then leaning down to him. Rukia looked curious when suddenly that man was covered by strange orange light. Then she was even more surprised when she realized that that man's wound started to heal.

_"She has the ability to heal!", _Rukia thought. Then she started again to the sky, she saw Ichigo and that guy with glasses. Then she looked again at the woman and the giant man.

_"They're so strong...", _She thought to herself and looked at her hands.

_"Why are they trying so hard to save someone like me? A coward! A weakling?", _She thought and hit her hands to the ground.

"I only I could help them...", she said and tears started to fall from her eyes.

_"If you had the __strength, then what would you do?", _a deep feminine voice suddenly said.

Rukia lifted her face and looked around her surprised.

_"Would you save them?", _The voice asked again. Rukia thought the words for a second and then she squeezed her fist.

"Yes", she said with confidence in her voice.

_"Even if the strength would bring you so much pain and sorrow?", _The voice asked again.

"Even so..." Rukia said and squeezed more tightly.

_"Even so?", _the voice asked.

"Even so, I would take any power I could get!", She yelled and the voice hemmed.

_"So be it...take her", _the voice responded and Rukia looked to her left. A Sword lying on the ground and Rukia realized that it was the same sword that she had looked earlier.

_"Wield her and we will lend you our power", _the voice said again.

Rukia started at the sword in front of her and stood up. She walked to the sword with shaking legs. Just when she was about to grab the sword, a wall exploed right next to her. She looked there and as the dust settled she took a deep breath; Ichigo was lying on the ground and Rikuo held a sword at his throat.

"Looks like I win, Kurosaki Ichigo", Rikuo said with cruel tune.

"Damn!" Ichigo said and tried to reach his sword.

"Goodbye, mister substitute shinigami", Rikuo said and lifted his sword ready to strike Ichigo.

Rukia held her hand and grabbed the sword in front of her. She took the sword out of its scheat and pointed it towards Rikuo.

"I beg of you, lend me you power!" Rukia yelled and that took Rikuo´s and Ichigo´s attention; both of them turned to look at her.

_"Of course!", _The voice said very pleased. Then a huge amount of reiatsu was suddenly released and it caused a huge wind. Both Ichigo and Rikuo had to jump away. The explosion caught everyone's attention. Everyone stared at the huge smoke screen that had suddenly appeared.

When the dust cleared a huge ice pillar was standing right at the middle of everything. Suddenly the pillar fell down and there was standing a woman completely covered in white. Both Ichigo and Rikuo appeared right next to her and just started at her. Ichigo´s eyes widened out of surprise; the woman looked exactly like Rukia, the "real" Rukia. Although her hair was completely white and it covered almost her entire back. She was wearing a completely white kimono and cloak. She had a white scythe in her hand. Her eyes were closed.

Ichigo stared at her enchanted.

"Rukia?" He whispered at her, and like she had heard, she opened her eyes. Then she turned her face to look at them.

"Ichigo..." Rukia whispered and then switched her glance on the guy next to him.

"Takami Rikuo", Rukia said with empty voice. Hearing his name Rikuo seemed to wake up.

"It seems that you remember me, and not just my name. I mean everything", he said and stared back at Rukia.

"Why did you come here?" Rukia said still with empty voice.

"Why? I missed you", Rikuo said cheerfully.

"Don't screw with me, you want something! You always want..." Rukia said and this time a little sadness was hinted in her voice.

"I want the thing you stole from me", Rikuo said with serious tune.

"You're not gonna get it", Rukia said and lifted her schyte.

"So you would better give up."

"Give up?" Rikuo said with amused voice.

"You have to options; wheter you leave immediately or I will cut you down", Rukia said with cold voice.

"Well you to cut me down, that shouldn't anymore hurt, but I'm not going; not at least until you give me what I want", Rikuo said and lifted his zankpaktou.

Then Rukia used shunpo and appeared right in front of him. He lifted his zankpaktou just in time to save himself from Rukia´s attack.

"Go to hell", Rukia said with emotionless voice.

"After you", Rikuo said and then both of them disappeared.

* * *

Ichigo had just been listening there when they had spoken to each other. Rukia´s voice had been so cold and emotionless, if he hadn´t heard it himself he had not believed that it was really Rukia. Rukia had just suddenly turned to her real form and then flew off.

He looked at the sky and was just briefly able to see Rukia and that other guy. But when Ichigo did see her, he wished that he hadn´t; that little girl that had just been there was gone, only thing that was left was emotionless doll.

* * *

Ishida, Inoue and Sado just stared at Ichigo as he looked like someone had just froze him. Inoue looked at Sado and Ishida very worried. Ishida sighed and walked towards Ichigo, and then grabbed him from his shoulder.

"Oi, Kurosaki! What´s going on in here?" Ishida asked but Ichigo didn´t even turn his head.

"Kurosaki! Answer me! Is that girl over there Kuchiki or not?" Ishida yelled out of frustration.

"I don´t know", Ichigo said and his voice sounded so defeated. Ishida and the others were so surprised by Ichigo´s defeated voice. Then all three of them glanced up at the sky, where those two shinigamis were still battling.

* * *

Rukia threw her schyte without caring did it hit it´s target or not. Rikuo avoided the schyte just in time, but when he did Rukia was immediately in front of him and she punced him right to his face.

Rikuo flew few meters back and almost fell over, but was able to just in got on his feet. Just when he was about to attack Rukia, he heard wierd noice coming behind him. He got a large wound on his leg when Rukia´s scyhte flew right past him. Rukia held out her hand and grabbed the schyte like it had just been a small stick.

"Wow, I must say", Rikuo said breahting very heavily. Rukia looked at him without even hint of emotions.

"But still the thing that is the most impressive is the fact that you can actually still use your powers. In your current state", Rikuo said and glanced at Rukia. Rukia didn't show any marks on her face, but then suddenly Rikuo started to laugh like crazy.

"I see! I see! Kuchiki Rukia!" He yelled and then he suddenly appeared right in front of her.

"You merged with your zankpaktou, didn't you?" He said with low and threathening voice. Then - for the first time after her transformation - she showed some emotions on her face as she swung her scythe, making Rikuo back away.

"I see, Rukia", Rikuo said again and looked at Rukia.

"You sure haven't changed at all have you? Still trying to sacrifice yourself for the others, but you know Rukia that doesn't change anything", Rikuo said and charged towards her. And they started to battle again.

* * *

The others could only watch as those two battled at each other without mercy. Ichigo had a huge urge to go and help Rukia, but something inside of him was holding him back. Inoue and the others could only watch as Ichigo struggled in despair.

"_Rukia…what should I do?" _, He asked himself and squeezed his fist.

Then he lifted his face when he heard as huge crash; Rukia was standing few meters in front of him. She was just standing there her back turned to Ichigo. Ichigo started at her back a while before moving his face to a wall; it was completely racked and that Takumi Rikuo, was right in the middle of the wall.

"I suppose I should say, as expected of Kuchiki Rukia, huh?" Rikuo said and he fell to the ground. Rukia didn´t even blink, but then she suddenly started to walk towards him. She stopped just about an half meter away from him.

"Any last words, Takumi Rikuo!" Rukia yelled and lifted her scythe ready to strike Rikuo down.

Just when she was about to slice his head of a large light beam charged towards her and she was nearly able to avoid it. She got her posture back really quickly and then started towards the direction where the beam had come from.

"Don't you dare to touch Rikuo-sama! You insolent bitch!" One of the two shinigamis which was working for Rikuo – named Yutaka Higa – yelled at Rukia. Rukia just looked at him with empty eyes and started to walk towards him. Higa noticed it and pulled his sword out.

"Yo! Yuri take care of Rikuo-sama!" Higa yelled but didn't lift his eyes from Rukia.

"I was going to", Yuri said very annoyed, but didn't let his eyes from Rukia either.

Then suddenly Rukia disappeared from their sight.

"Shit! Where is that bitch!" Higa yelled and looked around him.

"Are you talking about me?" A voice suddenly asked behind him. Higa tried to turn around as fast as he could, but Rukia was faster. In a matter of seconds she had slashed a deep wound right in the middle of his back and Higa felt down to the ground. Rukia just waved the scythe to her left to get the blood off of it and then turned to look at the guys behind her.

"I guess it's your turn", she said and lifted her schyte. Yuri just smiled at her and then Rikuo started to laugh; that stopped Rukia.

"What are you laughing at?" She asked with cold voice.

"Ten minutes…" Rikuo was able to say between his laugh. Rukia looked at him like he was an idiot but then suddenly seemed to realize the situation. Rukia lowered her scythe and jumped away from them. After that she suddenly started to cough and she fell to her knees.

"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled after realizing that she was down.

Rikuo slowly stood up and walked towards her. Rukia had a shocked face on when she realized that she was coughing blood.

"By the look on your face, you didn't count minutes at all, did you?" Rikuo said very pleased and Rukia lifted her face to look at him.

"You shouldn't put too much pressure on that little body of yours", Rikuo said and turned to look towards Ichigo and the others. It took them a while to realize that he was actually staring at Rukia´s small gigai. Ichigo seemed like someone had stabbed him when he finally looked back at Rikuo, he was smiling.

"Yes, despite her appearance that small body is still currently her real appearance. And think about it, what could a body that small possibly do?" Rikuo said and looked at Rukia again, she was breathing very heavily.

"Now then…" Rikuo said and held out his hand.

"Give it back."

Both of them just stared at each other, until Rukia started to stand up.

"Do you really think…" She said with pained voice when she finally got up.

"That I would give up that easily!" She yelled and lifted her scythe.

"Oi! Oi! You're really gonna die, you know? At this rate you won't be able to hold your spirit body together", Rikuo said with very amused tune.

"Rukia…" Ichigo said very worried as he looked at Rukia. He had never seen Rukia act this way before.

"Then come!" Rikuo yelled and took his zankpaktou out. Just as Rukia was ready to charge towards him, someone appeared in front of her and blocked her way.

* * *

Out of disbelieve Rukia lifted her face and looked at the person standing in front of her. That person was wearing a white haori and it took a while for her to recognize the person in front of her.

"Ni-Nii-sama?" Rukia said out of disbelieve when the person turned around to look at her.

"Rukia…" Kuchiki Byakuya said with his normal tune.

* * *

"Byakuya?" Ichigo said surprised and seemed just now to wake up; when he realized all the other familiar reiatsu that had appeared around him.

"What are you doing, you idiot?" An angry voice said to Ichigo. He turned around and saw Abarai Renji walking towards him.

"Renji?" Ichigo said.

"It's not just me and Captain that came, look around you!" Renji said with a big smirk on his face. Then many people appeared around them, but Ichigo could recognize them all immediately.

"It seems you have cause quite a trouble again, Kurosaki", a white-haired boy wearing a white haori said to Ichigo as he appeared next to Ichigo.

"Toushirou!" Ichigo said and that seemed to annoy the boy.

"To you it's Captain Hitsugaya!" The boy said but then glanced at the man standing in front of Byakuya.

"Takami Rikuo, huh?" he said with a serious tune.

* * *

Rikuo started around him two captains and one vice-captain had just arrived, and more people seemed to be coming towards them. At this rate they were at disadvantage.

"Well I suppose, we have no other choice then!" He said cheerfully and nodded at Yuri, which lifted Higa from the ground.

"We have top retreat for now!" He said and then the started to jumped of to the sky.

Just now Rukia seemed to realize what was going on and lifted her face to look at Rikuo.

"Wait!" Rukai screamed which surprised everyone. Rikuo smiled at Rukia and sent her a flying kiss.

"See you later, Rukia!" He said and then suddenly they were all gone. Rukia immeadiately tried to go after them, but Renji suddenly appeared to hold her down.

"Wait Rukia! In your current condition what could you possibly do, besides they are already long gone!" Renji yelled as he tried to hold her down.

"Let me go Renji! I'm going to kill him!" Rukia yelled as she tried to struggle out from his holding.

"Do you want me to put you down too!" Rukia yelled and her voice told that she was serious, but Renji didn't move.

"Captain Hitsugaya", Renji said with a low and serious voice.

"I know", Hitsugaya said and walked towards them.

"What?" Rukia yelled as she struggled, trying to brake free. Then suddenly Hitsugaya put a hand on her forehead and she seemed to cool down.

"Just sleep Kuchiki", Hitsugaya said with calm and cold voice. Then suddenly Rukia stopped moving and she probably would have fallen to the ground if Renji hadn't been holding her.

"We should leave, others are waiting", Hitsugaya said as he backed away from Rukia.

* * *

After watching them awhile Ichigo finally seemed to have ability to speak again.

"Hey! You guys!" He suddenly yelled and everyone turned to look at him.

"Who the hell were those guys? What the hell did they want? Why…" Ichigo yelled.

"Lower you voice, Kurosaki!" Hitsugaya yelled very frustrated and then Ichigo realized that he was sweating; which was weird because he was fine just a minute ago.

"Everything will be explained, now let's go", Hitsugaya said and started to walk away with Byakuya.

Renji looked for a while as the two captains disappeared and then lifted Rukia in his arms.

"Alright! Let's go!" Renji said and started to walk away. For a while the four of them just stood there, but in the end decide to follow. Ichigo being the last one, carrying Rukia´s small gigai.

"What the hell is going on…Rukia?" He asked silently.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don´t own Bleach or any of it´s characters.**

**It took me pretty long time but here it is:D. I hope you like it! And thanks for all of your reviws!**


	7. Chapter 7

No one hadn't said anything on their way back to Urahara´s. Hitsugaya and Byakuya walked up in the front, and seemed to discuss something. Renji - while carrying Rukia - walked behind them and behind him came Sado, Inoue and Ishida. Ichigo had purposely fallen behind. Sometimes he checked the gigai he was carrying, it hasn't changed at all.

Soon they arrived at Urahara´s. As expected he was already outside welcoming them inside.

"Come on inside, others are waiting", Urahara said with serious tune and then looked at Rukia.

"Abarai, follow me", Urahara just said and started to lead Renji away, but then he suddenly stopped and turned around to look at Ichigo.

"Bye to way Kurosaki, you shouldn't leave your body just lying around, something might happen to it", he said to Ichigo. Ichigo lifted his face and looked at Urahara.

"Don't worry, I told Yoruichi to pick it up it's here and one more thing..." Urahara said and walked to Ichigo.

"Could you hand her gigai?" Urahara asked and held out his hand. Ichigo didn't resist, he gave him her gigai and then followed the others out of the room.

* * *

Soon all of them arrived to a room and went inside. Ichigo was clearly surprised by the amount of people which had arrived. Including, Hitsugaya, Byakuya and Renji; there were also Ukitake, Kyoraku, Yumichika, Ikkaku, Matsumoto and of course Yoruichi.

"Captain!" Matsumoto yelled immediately when she saw her captain.

"Lower your voice, Matsumoto!" Hitsugaya said angry, but his voice wasn't as sharp as usually. Hitsugaya walked other said of the room, and soon Matsumoto came and sat next to him.

"Are you alright?" Matsumoto asked worried.

"Idiot, of course. The sealing just took more out of me than I thought", Hitsugaya said and his voice sounded very tired.

Ichigo glanced at Hitsugaya very confused but decided to let it slide and sat on the floor. Everyone else did the same. After a while Urahara and Renji joined them.

"How is she?" Ukitake asked and looked worried at Urahara.

"She's sleeping, I think the seal holds", Urahara said and glanced at Hitsugaya, which was leaning on the wall.

"That's good", Ukitake said and sighed out of relief. Then Urahara and Renji sat on the floor.

For a while everyone just sat there quietly, until Ichigo opened his mouth.

"So..." He started and everyone turned to look at each other.

"What's going on here? Who was that guy?" Ichigo asked and he looked at everyone in the room.

"Takumi Rikuo", Hitsugaya suddenly said and opened his eyes. Ichigo turned to look at him.

"He was once part of 13th Protection Squads. He was the third seat in the 12th squad. He was one of the top researchers...until that incident..." Hitsugaya said and everyone in the room lowered their heads.

"What happened?" Ichigo asked and Hitsugaya lifted his face to look at him.

"About 30 years ago something went terribly wrong. One of his experiments went berserk and it almost destroyed entire Soul Society", Hitsugaya said dramatically.

"What kind of experiment it was?" Ishida asked suddenly. Hitsugaya glance at Ishida and then the people around him.

"To be honest we don't know", Ukitake suddenly said. Ichigo and others were like someone had just hit them with rock.

"What do you..." Ichigo tried to ask but Byakuya.

"Exactly what we just said, don't make us repeat ourselves, Kurosaki", Byakuya said firmly and just when Ichigo was about to say something to him, Ukitake stopped him.

"Well, Rikuo was quite secretive about his experiments, not even his Captain knew anything about his work - not that he was even interested. He didn't even record them anywhere", Ukitake explained and Ichigo looked at him.

"But I still don't get it", Ichigo suddenly said and everyone looked at him.

"How is any of this related to Rukia?"

"That's..." Ukitake started.

"That's because the most relevant piece of his experiment is sealed within me", a voice suddenly said and everyone turned to look at that way.

Rukia was leaning on the door and looking at everyone, she was still in her adult form.

"Kuchiki!" Ukitake yelled.

"Hey! Rukia you shouldn't be up!" Renji said and got ready to stand up, but Rukia stopped him.

"I'm fine, the seal should hold", Rukia said and glanced at Hitsugaya, which nodded. Then Rukia walked inside and sat next to Ichigo.

"Rukia..." Ichigo whispered and Rukia looked at him, with apologizing smile.

"Kuchiki, what did you mean by that the most relevant piece of experiment is sealed in you?" Ishida asked and Rukia looked at him for a second and then everyone around her.

"As it sounds, Ishida", Rukia said and then held out her right hand.

"30 years ago, when his experiment went berserk; the only choice we had; was to seal it away, within a person", Rukia said and suddenly weird marks appeared in her right hand, and they continued to spread until they were all around her. Everyone - except captains - looked very shocked.

"Rukia...", Ichigo could only say, when he saw the marks.

"The sealing takes away a massive amount of reiatsu and it requires great Kidou skills. Almost all of my reiatsu was sucked away by that time, but it returned and every other mark disappeared. Only these remained, luckily they are usually invisible, but I can make them appear and disappear with my reiatsu." And the moment she said that, the marks in her hands disappeared and she put her hand down.

"But...why you? Kuchiki?" Inoue asked with a small voice.

"I was probably the only available", Rukia simply answered. And all the captains seemed a little bit guilty. Rukia noticed that and was little bit amused.

"Don't look guilty, I was the one who decided this", Rukia said.

"Still, Kuchiki it wasn't an easy sealing process", Kyoraku said and glanced at Rukia under his hat. Before Rukia could answer, Ichigo took part in the conversation.

"So, does everyone, besides us, know the situation?" Ichigo asked, meaning himself, Sado, Ishida and Inoue.

"All the captains in this room were part of the sealing process", Hitsugaya suddenly said. Ichigo was shocked by the sudden reveal and looked around him, there were four captains in the room. Then he looked at Rukia, who was sitting next to him.

_"If it took four captains to just seal it, then how Rukia is able to withstand it like that", _Ichigo thought to himself; as he looked at Rukia. Then, when Hitsugaya started to speak again, Ichigo turned his face towards him.

"Everyone else was just briefly informed of the situation before we arrived and of course we heard about Rukia´s situation from Urahara, so of course he and Yoruichi also know about the situation. So basically, yes you four are the only ones who doesn't know about the situation", Hitsugaya said with firmly voice. Just when Ichigo was about to say something, Ishida interrupted him.

"So, does that mean that this Rikuo person is right now after the thing sealed inside Rukia?" Ishida asked and turned to look at Rukia.

"We believe so, but we don't exactly know why he needs it", Ukitake said and glanced at Rukia.

"He needs it to complete his experiment", Rukia just said and everyone turned to look at her.

"Since it has come to this I might as well tell you everything about his experiment", she said and this time every last person in the room looked surprised.

"Kuchiki, you..." Ukitake started but he was interrupted by Hitsugaya.

"You knew all along what his experiment was all about, didn't you?" Hitsugaya asked and looked at Rukia. Rukia just nodded.

"If that's true then why didn't you ever tell anyone?" Renji said, taking part of the conversation for the first time.

"I thought it was best to keep it as a secret", Rukia said and she squeezed her other arm.

"But since he has come back, I don't have any other choice", she said strongly.

"Kuchiki, was his experiment really so bad that it was worth to hide this long?" Hitsugaya asked and Rukia turned to look at him.

"I can't decide that by myself, why don't you decide it after you hear what it is", Rukia said and then looked everyone around her.

"So Kuchiki, what he was inventing?" Kyoraku asked and lifted his hat. For a while was completely quiet and Rukia just stared in front of her. Then she suddenly lifted her face and looked people around her.

"He was inventing...no, I supposed I should say that he invented a..." Rukia said and kept a small pause.

"Time Machine"

* * *

Everyone were quiet for a long time, they were all shocked by Rukias words. No one knew what to say, they just stared at Rukia, whom was just sitting there like nothing hadn't even happened.

Hitsugaya was the first one to speak up; and his voice was filled with disbelieve.

"Ti-time machine?" He repeated and Rukia turned her face to look at him.

"That's impossible!" Ikkaku yelled, speaking for the first time in the whole conversation.

"What do you mean by that, 3rd seat Madarame?" Rukia asked looking at Ikkaku with questioning face. Ikkaku´s face turned completely red.

"What do I...listen Kuchiki! Inventing something like that...is just..." Ikkaku said and tried to come up with the right words.

"Impossible? And yet you have the proof right in front of you", Rukia said and held out both of her hands. Everyone's faces turned to look at her.

"Kuchiki, do you mean that..." Ukitake started.

"Yes, the body I currently have is because of the effect of the time machine", Rukia said with a serious tune.

Once again everyone became quiet but after a while Hitsugaya opened his mouth again.

"Hey Kuchiki", he suddenly said and everyone turned to look at him.

"Even if it's a time machine, but why did it to that to your body", Hitsugaya asked and pointed at her body.

"And not; for an example, sent you somewhere in the past or future."

"That's a very good question, Captain Hitsugaya", Rukia said and lifted her finger. Just when she was about to continue she suddenly started coughing and she had to put both of her hands in front of her mouth.

"Rukia!"

"Kuchiki!" Everyone yelled together and Ichigo leaned down to her.

"I'm fine", Rukia said and tried to look reassuring, but she didn't fool anyone.

"No, you're not! You should be resting, we can finish this talk later", Ichigo said and looked at Rukia.

"No, we can't. This proves that I'm running out of time", Rukia said with a low tune.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked, but Rukia completely ignored him.

"Since it has come to this, I will have to be quick. The answer to your question, Captain Hitsugaya, is that the time machine is not complete", Rukia said and everyone looked at her very confused.

"What do you mean?" Hitsugaya asked.

"Thirty years ago, he did finish the experiment and was successfully able to create a time machine, but then an unintended event occurred..." Rukia said and looked to the ground.

"It went berserk, right?" Kyoraku suddenly said and glanced at Rukia.

"Yes, and because of that the most important part of his experiment was sealed away", Rukia said and earned again everyone's shocked faces turn to her. She looked a while as the message sank in to her friends.

"That's correct, that part is sealed inside of me. And without it he can't use the time machine. Well not it's at least it's complete form", Rukia said. Everyone looked really shocked of the news.

"Hey Kuchiki?" Ishida suddenly spoke up and Rukia turned to look at him.

"How come you know so much about this experiment and this Rikuo person?" He asked and Ichigo turned to look at Rukia also.

"That's because..." Rukia started but then she suddenly started to cough again.

"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled and put his hand on Rukia´s back; then he noticed that she was shaking.

"It seems I have reached my limit", Rukia tried to say, with shaking voice.

"Limit? What do you mean? Rukia!" Ichigo tried to ask, but then suddenly Rukia started to glow. Ichigo watched as her arms and legs got smaller and smaller, until Rukia had turned back to that little girl. The clothes Rukia was wearing were all too big for the small Rukia and Ichigo lifted her up; at the same time wrapping her to the clothes.

Then he lifted his face from Rukia to look at the shinigami around him. None of them seemed to be surprised of the sudden change.

"What happened to her?" Ichigo asked.

"Her time just run out", Hitsugaya said and lifted his hand to look at it.

"What does that mean?" Ichigo asked with demanding voice. Hitsugaya lifted his face to look at Ichigo.

"That body was only temporary. She was able to maintain it by fusing with her zankpaktou", Hitsugaya said.

"By fusing..." Ichigo said with shocked voice and looked down at Rukia. Then he noticed that next to her was lying, her zankpaktou.

"Is that even possible?" Ishida asked.

"Yes, but its forbidden act", Hitsugaya said.

"Why?" Ichigo asked. Hitsugaya leaned back on the wall and closed his eyes. Then he pulled out his zankpaktou and held it out, at the same time opening his eyes.

"Our zankpaktous are part of us. We value them more than our own lives, but that's not all; zankpaktou´s are mostly controlled by their instincts. Without our hearts completing them, they are just a mindless killing machines", Hitsugaya said.

Ichigo was shocked by his words and turned to look at the Zangetsu which was lying on the ground next to him.

"But without them, we shinigami would just be hearts without instincts", Hitsugaya said and smiled a little. Every shinigami around him looked at their zankpaktous and touched them.

"But how does this have anything to do with Kuchiki?" Ishida asked.

"That's because; the moment Kuchiki fused with her zankpaktou she gave in to her instincts", Urahara suddenly said.

"And I'm sure every one of you realized what happened, didn't you?" Urahara asked. Everyone turned almost white as they remembered how crazy and violent Rukia had become, the moment she had turned back to her usual form.

"Yes, she lost her heart and gave in to her instincts and feelings. And the most strongest feeling right at the moment; was to kill Rikuo", Urahara said and looked at Rukia. Even though he had seen Rukia got really angry couple of times; he had never seen her get so furious.

Everyone looked at sleeping Rukia and thought the same thing. They also knew that once she would wake up she wouldn't remember any of this. She would just be a small and terrified girl, who didn't remember anything about herself.

As he looked at the sleeping Rukia, Ichigo had a mind burning question which he needed an answer, but what he didn't know; did he have the courage to ask it or have the will to endure the answer, but he knew that he had to ask it. Then he raised face from Rukia and looked everyone around her, he had very serious face.

Somehow they knew what he was going to ask them, and they hated that they had to answer to him like this.

"She…Rukia…she's going to die, isn't she?" Ichigo asked and squeezed Rukia more tightly in his arms. None of the sninigamis answered, they just kept looking at each other; deciding who would answer him. Finally Hitsugaya sighed and closed his eyes; once he opened them he had a crushing, ice cold stare.

"Yes, Kurosaki Ichigo, she is dying. Unless we find a way to reverse the effect of the device", Hitsugaya said and his voice was as cold as ice.

Inoue took deep breath and her hands flew to her mouth, she tried to hold the tears from falling. Ishida put his hand on Inoue´s shoulder and squeezed his other hand. Sado just lowered his face and his hair covered his face completely.

Ichigo didn't do anything he just stared in front of him. When he finally came to he lowered his face to look at the small Rukia sleeping in his arms.

"So…" Ichigo started with a quiet voice. Everyone turned their faces to Ichigo.

"If we're able find this Rikuo person and make him tell how to turn Rukia back to normal; she will be saved?" Ichigo asked but didn't lift his face.

The captains looked each other and tried to thought what they should answer the boy.

"Of course!" Urahara said with his optimistic voice. Everyone turned to look at him.

"With the device he is holding, we can easily turn Kuchiki back to normal", he said very cheerfully.

"I see", Ichigo said quietly, and then he suddenly stood up. Grabbing his and Rukias zankpatou the same time.

"I'm going home; she should really get some good sleep. After all the things she went through", Ichigo said and started to walk to the door.

"Kurosaki", Hitsugaya said with demanding voice; which stopped Ichigo.

"He will surely come after Rukia again, so be careful."

Ichigo was quiet for a while before he finally answered.

"If he comes; I will beat the hell out of him and force him to turn Rukia back to normal", he said with serious voice and then left the room; leaving everyone in the room looking after him.

* * *

Ichigo looked out Rukia´s gigai and finally found it, in the room where she had earlier been sleeping. The gigai hadn´t changed at all, it was still the same small body. Ichigo put Rukia slowly back in to the gigai; she took deep breath when the soul attached itself to the gigai, but she didn´t wake up. Ichigo then lifted her carefully up and put her in his back. Then he started to walk away and left the Urahara residence.

Ichigo walked quietly in the streets, he didn´t want to use shunpo; in case it might wake Rukia up. Once in a while he turned his head to look at the small girl at his back. She was sleeping very peacefully; Ichigo could feel her body as it slowly breath in and out. Then he suddenly stopped and looked at the sky, it was full moon tonight, he felt great need to wake Rukia up.

Including first snow, Rukia also loved the full moons. Ichigo had never realized to ask why she was so desperate to always see the full moon. Then he started to remember a day when he had realized how much the full moon meant to her...

* * *

_It was one of those days; when Rukia had yet to got her powers back and she and he were working together to kill Hollows. It was the night before the menos grande appeared and before Rukia had been taken back to Soul Society. About a week before all of that happened. _

_They were coming back from killling a hollow, it was almost at the middle of the night. Ichigo remembered as he walked up front and Rukia was following him; doing something with her cellphone, again._

_"I can´t believe I have to get up in the middle of the night to kill these things. Don´t they ever sleep Rukia?" Ichigo complained to Rukia._

_"Rukia?" He asked again when she didn´t answer to him. Then he realized that she had stopped walking._

_"Rukia, are you listening to me?" Ichigo asked very frustrated voice; and turned around at the same time._

_When he turned around he realized that Rukia was staring at the sky she had been enchanted or something like that. Ichigo walked right in front of Rukia and started to wave his hand in front of her face. Then Rukia seemed to realize that Ichigo was talking to him._

_"What now?" Rukia asked and her voice didn´t sound as bitchy as it usually did when Ichigo did something that would annoy her._

_"Nothing, I was just making sure that you weren´t sleepwalking", Ichigo said and lifted both of his shoulders._

_"What? Did you say something to me then?" Rukia asked and she really seemed to have hard time staying on the subject. Ichigo noticed and sighed._

_"What is it Rukia you seem very distracted tonight. Is something wrong?" Ichigo asked._

_"Wrong? No, why would anything be wrong?" Rukia asked but her voice was extremely uninterested of the subject they were discussing. Ichigo sighed and got ready to turn around to continue walking when suddenly a bright light came from the sky. Ichigo looked up and saw that the full moon was up._

_"Hey Rukia, did..." Ichigo said and turned around, then he realized that Rukia ran right past him at great speed._

_"Oi! Rukia!" Ichigo yelled as he rushed after her._

_They ran like forever, even though Ichigo knew he could catch her in no time; he didn´t want in fact he was curious were Rukia was rushing at such a rush. They ran to a hill which was about few miles away from Ichigo´s house. There Rukis stopped and turned to look at the sky again. This time Ichigo realized that Rukia was staring at the moon. Ichigo was really surprised of the sudden change in Rukia; it was like Rukia was staring the love of her life. In fact for Ichigo it was quiet funny and he couldn´t help himself but to laugh. That caught Rukia´s attention and she glared at Ichigo._

_"What´s so funny, if I may ask?" Rukia said quite irritated._

_"Nothing, I´m sorry", Ichigo said and stopped laughing. Rukia lifted her other eyebrow but let it be._

_"Isn´t it beautiful", Rukia suddenly said and Ichigo started at her._

_"The moon", she added._

_"Oh, yeah I guess", Ichigo said and scratched the back of his head. He couldn´t quite make out the sudden change of personality._

_"When I came to this town, at that night it was also full moon", Rukia said with quiet voice. Ichigo stared at Rukia, suddenly her face had become so sad that Ichigo wanted to ask her what was wrong._

_"Let´s get back", Rukia suddenly said and started to walk away. Ichigo just stayed where he was staring after her._

_"Rukia, I really can´t make out of you. It seems that you are hiding something from me and I really can´t make out what", Ichigo said to himself and glanced at the moon, hoping it would give him the answer; but soon he left to follow Rukia._

_

* * *

_Ichigo returned back from his memories and lowered his face, so that his hair covered his face.

"Why did it turn out like this, Rukia?" Ichigo asked, without expecting an answer.

"It's not fair Rukia…that you have to carry all the sins of this world…" Ichigo said and small water tips started to drop to the ground. After a while of standing he finally lifted his face and continue to walk away.

* * *

Soon he got home; he jumped inside from his window. He put Rukia in the closet and covered her with blankets. Then he left the closet door open and went to sit on his bed. For a long time he just kept on staring at her; until he suddenly got up and walked to the closet. He put his hand on her head and pet it.

"Don´t worry Rukia, I won´t let anything get to you", he said with strong and determined voice.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters**

**Sorry it took me sooo long to write this chapter. I have been so busy in my school, with exam and all. But hope you like this chapter:D**


	8. Chapter 8

_Rukia was running like her life depended on it. She didn't know why she was running; she just knew that she had to run. Then suddenly someone or something caught up to her. It was right in front of her; she had no where to run. She looked around her for a way out but when she didn't find an; she pulled out her sword and pointed it at the creature in front of her._

"_Do you think that; that will work on me?" The creature mocked her and then laughed at her. Then the creature suddenly disappeared and reappeared in front of her. She didn't have enough time to evade, the creature swung something sharp and her sword flew from her hands. Then the creature lifted her from the ground with one hand._

_Rukia tried to struggle and make the creature let her go, but it was much stronger that she was; and it just laughed at her._

"_Struggle all you want! It doesn't change the fact that I'm going to kill you!" The creature yelled and then Rukia saw something blink in its hand, it swung it down and Rukia screamed…_

_

* * *

_

Rukia opened her eyes and lifted herself up; she hit her head in the ceiling. She looked around her; the pace was small and everything was dark. She somehow was able to open the door, but then she fell to the ground and made loud voice.

"What the…" The person at the other side of the room said with sleepy voice, and then suddenly the room was filled with light.

Rukia blinked her eyes couple of times before she got used to the light and then she recognized the person at the other side of the room.

"I-Ichigo", she said with shaking voice. Ichigo seemed very confused as he looked at the Rukia, who was sitting at the floor. Ichigo started to scratch the back of his head.

"It seems you're awake, Rukia", Ichigo said and tried to smile.

Rukia looked at Ichigo and then tears started to fall from her eyes. Ichigo realized them and got up from his bed.

"What is it?" Ichigo asked and rushed next to Rukia. Rukia started to wipe away her tears but it didn't help; they just kept on coming.

"I didn't…I was…why it…came after me?" Rukia tried to say but Ichigo had no idea what she was talking about.

"What happened Rukia? Who is after you?" Ichigo tried to aske her, but then she suddenly got all quiet and didn´t say anything in a while.

"I…I…" Rukia started and put her hands on her head.

"I don´t remember! I know I should remember! It was so scary!" Rukia yelled and she was clearly going in to a shock. Realizing that Ichigo put both of his hands on Rukia´s shoulders and shook her.

"Rukia! Rukia! It was only a nightmare! You don't have to worry about a thing! I'm here", Ichigo said with reassuring and calm voice. Then Rukia lifted her face and looked at Ichigo´s eyes.

"Ichigo…" Rukia said and tears started to fall from her eyes again.

"Ichigo!" She yelled and jumped in Ichigo´s arms.

Ichigo didn't push her away; he just put both of his arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"It's okay, Rukia. I'm here. Everything is going to be okay", he said quietly and patted her back.

After that Rukia didn't say anything; she just sat in Ichigo´s arms and cried. Even though Ichigo knew that the Rukia in his arms, wasn't actually the real Rukia; he thought to himself that maybe someday the real Rukia could stop bottling her feelings up. And maybe someday she could tell him everything; that made her sad and share it with him. But while waiting for that day, he would sure as hell keep her safe and sound.

* * *

At the next morning Ichigo found himself sleeping at the floor. He looked a while around him in confusion, why he was sleeping at the floor. Just as he was going to get up, he realized that someone was sleeping in his lap. As he looked down he saw Rukia, using his thigh as a pillow.

For a while Ichigo just looked at Rukia peaceful and calm face. After being awake for a while he remembered why he was sleeping in the floor; and at the same time he remembered Rukia´s terrified face as she had jumped out of the closet and cried to Ichigo. Ichigo had never seen such face on Rukia.

Usually she acted so strong and bossy, that Ichigo had never seen her any other way. Until yesterday and even though it was the child version of her and the version which didn't have her memories, it still felt as if it had been her.

As he was still staring her, Rukia slowly opened her eyes and looked in Ichigo´s eyes.

"Morning", Ichigo just said and smiled at her.

"Hi", Rukia said and seemed very surprised to wake up from the floor. Then she suddenly lifted her head and looked around her.

"I'm…" She started and looked at Ichigo with questioning face.

"You're in my room", Ichigo said and looked at Rukia, which looked even more confused.

"You don't remember coming here?" Ichigo asked and Rukia looked at him with confused face.

Just when Ichigo was about to explain everything; he remembered that had been told t that she wouldn't be remembering anything about this and that it would be best not to tell her anything, about what had happened yesterday. Still Ichigo had to ask her.

"How much do you remember then?" He asked with serious face. Rukia stared at him confused of his question, but tried to answer it.

"I…not much, I mean I remember that we argued, then I went to this park, then some weird people came after me. They attacked me and then…" Rukia said and her hands rose to her head, as she tried to remember. Then she suddenly turned to face Ichigo´s face again.

"Then you came and saved me." Then for a while both of them just stared at each other, until Ichigo coughed and started to get up.

"Well we should probably get some breakfast, it's already morning", Ichigo said and looked outside of the window.

"Okay", Rukia said but didn't stand up from the floor.

"Hey Ichigo?" She asked and kept her face in the floor. Ichigo turned around to look at her.

"What is it?" He asked with worried voice.

"Am I really going to remember everything?" Rukia asked. Ichigo didn't even think about the answer as he answered.

"Of course you will", he said with confident voice; so confident that it actually surprised Rukia.

"Now I'm going to get you something to eat. Then I think we should go outside", Ichigo said as he left the room.

"Okay", Rukia said after him.

After Ichigo had left the room Rukia looked at her hands. She did actually remember everything after Ichigo had come to save her, to the point where someone had told her to pick up the sword. Then everything blacks out. Rukia didn't know why she hadn't told him about it. She knew that she should, there was no reason why she couldn't tell him about it. But at least for now she decided to keep quiet about it.

* * *

After Ichigo had returned and they had eaten something; they went outside. They walked around and from time to time they met couple of ghosts; and Ichigo send them away. Every time Ichigo changed in to shinigami, Rukia could see him holding another, smaller zankpaktou, on his waist. Rukia felt great urge to touch it, to find out would something happen again; at least she hadn't heard that voice again.

That voice had been very pleasant and friendly. And it reminded her of something, like she had heard it somewhere before, but she couldn't quite make out where. Then she had also another question – which wasn't as urgent – but it had been bothering her awhile. When they were sitting in a park, after Ichigo had sent another ghost away; Rukia decided finally ask Ichigo about it.

"Hey Ichigo?" Rukia asked, as Ichigo was returning to his body.

"Yes?" He asked and stretched his arms at the same time. But Rukia chickened out and couldn't ask.

"Is it okay not to go…that place?" Rukia asked, not quite remembering what it was called.

"You mean school?" Ichigo asked and looked at Rukia. She nodded.

"Yeah, it's Saturday. Besides, as long as we don't know who those guys were I'm going to keep on watch on you", Ichigo said and smiled at her.

After seeing his smile, she decided that she absolutely had to ask him about it. Once again she opened her mouth.

"Ichigo…" She started very confident. Ichigo once again looked at her with questioning face, but she chickened out again.

"What…do I usually look like?" She asked, it was after all to embarrassing to ask. And she didn't quite understand why she even wanted to know that. For Rukia´s surprise Ichigo looked a little bit sad.

"Why do you ask?" Ichigo asked as he sat next to her.

"Just curious, I mean I don't remember **anything**! So I thought maybe I would remember myself…or something like that…it sounds so stupid!" Rukia added lastly, after she saw Ichigo looking at her with a smile.

"No, not at all…besides you're just a kid it can't be helped", Ichigo said and ruffled her hair.

Rukia pushed his hand away immediately.

Then Ichigo took his wallet out of his pocket and took something out of it. It was a picture of five people. There were two little girls, which were about the same age, the other one had orange and the other had black hair. Then there were old man, with a beard and he had a big goofy smile. Then there were too teenagers, the other Rukia recognized as Ichigo; but the other one she didn't recognize.

Ichigo and that girl were looking at each other and they seemed to argue; but despite that they seemed happy. Ichigo realized that Rukia stared at them.

"That's you", Ichigo said and pointed the girl which Rukia was looking at. Her eyes widened, well it shouldn´t have been too much of a surprise, cause the girl was a spitting image of her. Except of course; that the girl in the picture was much older. The girl had long black hair and blue dress.

"This was taken awhile after you had moved in. My stupid dad wanted something like a family portrait of the five of us", Ichigo said and scratched the back of his head. Rukia lifted her face from the picture to look at Ichigo.

"I lived in your house?" Rukia asked with a surprised voice.

"Of course I told you about it earlier, didn't I?" Ichigo said with annoyed voice.

"Of course, huh? So are we…" Rukia started, but then she felt something what almost made her drop the picture she was holding.

Apparently Ichigo felt it too, because he grabbed her hand and lifted her up with him. Then he looked around him looking for something.

"Up here", a familiar voice said and both of them lifted their faces. Right above them was Rikuo waving at them. Ichigo immediately got out if his body and pushed Rukia behind him. Then Rikuo landed on the ground and looked at Ichigo with a grin on his face.

"What do you want?" Ichigo asked, even though he knew exactly what he wanted.

"Well I'm sure it's obvious; I want that little girl that is lurking behind you", Rikuo said and pointed at Rukia.

"Oh! And I think you shouldn't be expecting any back-ups", he said. And immediately after he had said that, Ichigo heard a loud explosion, which meant that this time Rikuo had brought more people with him.

"Now let's get this over with", Rikuo said and pulled out his zankpaktou. Ichigo bit his teeth and pulled Rukia from behind him.

"Go hide somewhere", Ichigo said letting go of her hand.

"But Ichigo…" Rukia started.

"Go!" Ichigo yelled and pulled out his zankpaktou. Then Rukia ran away. Rikuo looked after her with a smile.

"It doesn't matter where she goes I will find her", Rikuo said and rushed at Ichigo. And then both of them disappeared. At some point as he was fighting with Rikuo, Ichigo started to see flashes from Rikuo´s memories…

_

* * *

He saw when Rikuo was walking in Seireitei, he had mountain of documents in his hands and he couldn't see in front of him. Then he suddenly crashed at someone and all of the papers flew away._

"_Oh! I'm so sorry!" Rikuo said and kneeled at the person in front of him._

"_It's okay", the person said with a depressing voice, but very familiar voice. Rikuo lifted his face and saw Rukia collecting his papers._

"_Oh! Rukia-sama!" You don't have to!" Rikuo said and rushed to take the papers away from her._

"_It's okay. I was in my thoughts and didn't pay attention around me", Rukia said as she gave the papers back to him. He looked at Rukia with wide eyes._

"_Bye then", Rukia said as she started to walk away. After waking up, Rikuo turned around to look at her._

"_Is there something that I can do to repay you?" Rikuo yelled eagerly after her. Rukia stopped and turned to look at him._

"_There is really no need", Rukia said with tired voice._

"_No! I insist!" Rikuo said with determined voice. And Rukia realized that he wasn't going to let this go._

"_Fine. Anything?" Rukia made sure._

"_Anything!" Rikuo said._

"_Stop calling me Rukia-__**sama**__", Rukia said and walked away…_

_

* * *

Then Ichigo saw that Rikuo was clearly in a tree. Then he suddenly fell down from there right at someone's feet. _

"_I told you not __to follow me", Rukia said with demanding voice. Rikuo looked at Rukia, and Ichigo could feel his emotions, even though he didn't see his face. _

"_I thought you mid need me", Rikuo said and tried to smile. Rukia rolled her eyes but didn't seem mad as she helped him up._

"_You're impossible", Rukia said with a soft voice as she took a leaf out of his hair…_

* * *

"_Don't I have to go!" Rukia yelled, but the picture was really foggy, as was also the voice._

"_Don't Kuchiki! There is nothing you can to for him", a demanding voice said. Which Ichigo recognized as Ukitake´s. _

"_It's all my fault! I have to do something!" Rukia yelled with despair in her voice._

"_Rikuo!" She yelled as everything turned to black._

* * *

Then before he noticed he was back at the present fighting with Rikuo. Even though he did swing his sword around; Ichigo´s mind wasn't with him. Rikuo had clearly _loved _Rukia. Then why was he attacking her now? What happened between them? Why was Rukia blaming herself? And more importantly, how did Rukia feel about him?

All of this questions swirling in his mind, Ichigo couldn't focus in the fight and before he noticed it, Rikuo had sent an attack, which sent him to ground.

"Damn…" Ichigo said as he wiped blood away from his face.

Rukia had sawn everything; when Ichigo and Rikuo were battling in the sky, and when suddenly something had happened to Ichigo, and he suddenly stopped battling against him.

"Ichigo what happened?" Rukia asked, fighting the eager to run to him.

"_He lost his will to fight", _a familiar voice in her head said.

"It's you again!" Rukia yelled and put her hands to her head.

"_He is going to lose this battle", _the voice said.

"What do you mean?" Rukia asked, but the voice didn't answer.

"_Pick up the sword", _was the last thing the voice said to her. Then Rukia lifted her face, Ichigo was still on the ground and Rikuo was slowly walking towards him. Without thinking more of it, she started to run towards him.

* * *

Ichigo tried to focus on the battle, but he found it difficult.

"I see you're distracted", Rikuo said with a smile.

"Damn", Ichigo said as hi lifted his zankpaktou.

"_This can't be that same guy, but it has to be…those were clearly the memories of his zankpaktou…but why is he doing this…and if I kill him, what about Rukia…" _Ichigo thought to himself.

"You don't have time to sleep", Rikuo said and Ichigo lifted his face; he had been too careless while he had been lost in though, Rikuo had appeared right in front of him. Rikuo swung his sword and that strike sent Zangetsu flying.

"Next one flying will be your head!" Rikuo yelled as he prepared to swing his sword again.

"Ichigo!" A small voice screamed. Both of them looked to the ground, neither one of them had realized that Rukia had run between them. And that she had grabbed her zankpatkous hilt.

"Don't Rukia!" Ichigo yelled in panic, but Rukai pulled the zankpaktou out and immediately they were covered with ice pillars. Rikuo nearly escaped, but his right leg had been frozen.

As the dust cleared and the ice cracked, the real Rukia was standing there, and she had again fused with her zankpaktou. She had a large scythe in her hands and she lifted it like it had been a light sword.

"Ichigo stay down, I will cut him down", Rukia said as she started to walk towards Rikuo.

"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled, but she didn't stop.

"_She is controlled by her instincts." _Ichigo remembered Urahara´s voice.

"Do you really want this, Rukia?" Ichigo said as he looked Rukia walking towards Rikuo.

"Are you sure you wanna do that? You're going to die you know?" Rikuo said with a voice, which gave out that he didn't give a shit. Then Rukia threw her scythe and Rikuo just barely evaded it by jumping in the air. But Rukia was faster she had suspected that and was already in the air. When Rikuo was in her reach she punched him right in the face, but he stopped her punch, by grabbing her hand.

"You aren't going anywhere", Rikuo said with emotionless voice. Then he pulled a needle out of his pocket and injected her with something. Rukia jumped away as quickly as she could, while holding her hand.

"What did you do?" Rukia yelled as her body started to go numb, and she fell to the ground.

"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled as he rushed towards her.

"Nothing, I just minimized the effects of the device. We don´t want you to die on the side effects, before I can take the missing piece out of you", Rikuo said with a grin at his face. Rukia was now juts lying on the ground, because her entire body had gone numb.

"You asshole", Rukia said as she bit her teeth together. That was the last thing she said, before she lost consciousness.

"Maybe so", Rikuo said as he lifted Rukia in his arms, then he jumped to the sky.

"Good bye, Kurosaki Ichigo", Rikuo yelled as he disappeared from his sight.

Ichigo´s body went completely numb and he fell to the ground. He had just stood there, when he took her away. He hadn't done anything! If he hadn't been so lost in thought, she would have never had to step in to save him! He hated himself, she had protected him again. Even though she was sick and she had no memories, no powers. And she still came to save him!

"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled out of frustration to the skies.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don´t own Bleach nor its characters!**


	9. Chapter 9

Ichigo´s body had gone completely numb. He had no idea what he should do; Rukia had just been kidnapped and he had just stood there and watched.

"_Alright, Ichigo get your act together…what would you usually do in this kind of situation…", _when he remembered it actually made him smile a little bit.

"Oh right, in this situation Rukia would usually come and punch me in the face. Then she would yell at me and call me an idiot…" Then Ichigo stood up and his will to fight had returned.

"I´m on my way, Rukia", he said with strong and determined voice.

Rukia slowly opened her eyes, but the light was too bright that she had to close them again. She tried to remember what in the world had happened. When she remembered, despite the light, she opened her eyes as wide as possible. It took her a while but finally her eyes got used to the light.

She was in a completely white room. When she tried to move her arms, she realized that her hands had been tied up. She lifted her face to look at her hands, and saw that they were tied up with chains to the wall. When she looked down she realized that her legs were also tied up with chains.

She tried to get her hands free, when she heard all too familiar voice.

"It's no use to struggle", the voice said. Rukia lifted her face and saw Rikuo which had come through the wall. Rukia lifted her other eyebrow. Rikuo realized that and looked behind him, the wall had returned back to normal.

"I invented that", Rikuo said with proud in his voice.

"Well of course you did", Rukia said and rolled her eyes. Rikuo walked right in front of her.

"I wonder, what happened you", Rikuo asked and swiped some hairs from Rukia´s face. Rukia tried to move her face away from her touch and looked at him like he was just a bug.

Rikuo couldn't help but to smile.

"Now there is the true Kuchiki", Rikuo said as he stepped back. Rukia turned her face away and refused to look at him.

"It must be because of the fusion", Rikuo said and looked at Rukia.

"But if I allow you to undo the fusion, you'll turn back in to that little girl; who has no memories of herself or anyone else." Rukia still refused to look at him, but after a while of silence, she finally opened her mouth.

"What do you want?" Rukia asked, still not looking at him.

"You now very well what I want", Rikuo said and smiled at her.

"But you now, a while ago I realized something very interesting." Rikuo said and Rukia turned to look at him.

"If I take that important piece out of you, that piece will be destroyed alongside with you", Rikuo said with faked sorrow in his voice. Rukia´s eyes widened out of surprise.

"But how…" Rukia started but Rikuo interrupted her.

"That's because that piece has completely fused together with you. You remember when you gave me your reiatsu? In order to complete the device", Rikuo asked and saw as Rukia´s face was filled with horror when she remembered,

"Yes, that piece which had your reiatsu in it, is currently inside of you. And that means that if I take it out, you will die", Rikuo said smiling as he left the room, leaving confused Rukia looking at the floor.

"Part of me?" Rukia asked.

"_So if the seal is broken then the piece will be destroyed", _Rukia thought as she though up a plan.

Ichigo rushed at Urahara´s as quickly as he could. When he got there everyone were outside to greet him; Byakuya, Ukitake, Kyoraku, Toushirou, Matsumoto, Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Urahara and Yoruichi. Sado, Ishida and Inoue were also there. He looked to everyone's eyes and he knew that they all had realized what had happened. Before Ichigo got to say anything, Kyoraku opened his mouth.

"Now, when everyone is here I think we should head out", he said and turned around. Ichigo looked at him like an idiot.

"Are you deaf, Kurosaki! He said that we're going", Toushirou said with annoyed voice. Ichigo looked at him with surprised voice. Before Ichigo could ask where, Renji hit him in his head.

"That hurt idiot!" Ichigo yelled as he looked at Renji.

"Don't you wanna go kick that Rikuo´s ass!" Renji said with angry voice. Ichigo looked at Renji and realized how much trust he had on him. Then he looked at everyone else's faces and saw that they all had similar look on their faces; they all placed their hoped on him.

"Yeah", Ichigo said with confident and strong voice. Everyone smiled at him with relief.

"Then let's go, we don't have all day", Toushirou said and pulled his zankpaktou out.

"To where? Do you guys know where he is?" Ichigo asked. Everyone looked kind of uncomfortable.

"Kind of", Ukitake said.

"What do you mean by that?" Ichigo asked and looked at him.

"Well it's not exactly a place, it's a world between worlds", Toushirou said without looking at Ichigo.

"What do you mean by that?" Ichigo asked.

"It's a world which is not in the real world or in Soul Society, it's between them. You must remember the path you have to go through when you go to Soul Society", Yoruichi said and looked at Ichigo. Ichigo had nervous look on his face, yes he did remember, who wouldn't.

"So it's in that place?" Ichigo asked.

"Not exactly", Toshirou said again and this time he looked straight at Ichigo.

"We have to jump away halfway through to Soul Society." Ichigo´s face was filled with despair and little bit of panic.

"How in the hell are we suppose to know when to jump of? Besides isn't that dangerous, ain´t that cleaner in there?" Ichigo yelled and Toushirou looked at him irritated.

"I know, that's why I'm going to guide the way", Toushirou said with tired voice. Ichigo looked like someone had hit him.

"When the place, where you have to jump, comes I will open the path and keep it open until you come back", Toushirou said.

"But how do you know when you will open up the path?" Ichigo asked.

"Because normally only some shinigamis can enter that place", Urahara said as he steppes out. Ichigo turned to look at him.

"Some? What do you mean?" Ichigo asked.

"Well let me ask you this; what do you think is the one common thing that Kuchiki, Takami Rikuo and captain Hitsugaya, all have?" Urahara said, while lifting one of his fingers up. Before Ichigo could say anything, Urahara answered.

"Their zankpaktous." With the look on Ichigo´s face, Urahara could tell that he didn´t quite get what he was saying.

"Well to be accurate it's their zankpaktous abilities. Only the zankpaktou´s that hold those abilities can open up the path to that place", Urahara said with serious voice.

"Then are you saying that any one of us can open up the path", Ichigo said meaning everyone else, except Hitsugaya.

"I do", Urahara said.

"But opening that path won't be easy it requires a lot of reiatsu, that's why captain Hitsugaya can not accompany you to that world." Ichigo looked at Toushirou which seemed to be prepared.

"I think it's the time for everyone to go", Urahara said and turned around to walk inside. Everyone started to follow him, except Ichigo.

"What is it Ichigo?" Yoruichi asked and turned around to look at Ichigo.

"Wouldn't it be faster to open the gate from here?" Ichigo asked. Yoruichi smiled at him.

"That's because we will be using Kisuke´s gate and not the official gate", Yoruichi said.

"Why?" Ichigo asked like an idiot.

"Because the place we're going, is not on the map", Yoruichi said before she went inside with everyone else.

"What is that suppose to mean?" Ichigo asked and scratched the back of his head.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Ichigo heard someone to say to him and he turned around. Ishida, Inoue and Sado were still standing there.

"I'm sorry that you guys can't come along", Ichigo said to his friends.

"What ere you saying Kurosaki! You don't need us, you just go there, grab Kuchiki and come back", Ichida said, making it sound so simple.

"Don't make me come after you."

"I won't be needing your help", Ichigo said with a confident look on his face.

"Go save Kuchiki", Sado said and lifted his thumb up.

"Yes!" Ichigo said and lifted his thumb as well.

"We will be waiting for you, Kurosaki-kun! Bring Kuchiki-san back!" Inoue said with crossed hands.

"I will Inoue!" Ichigo said. And after looking one final time his friends he finally disappeared inside Urahara´s house.

All three of his friends looked after him with worry on their faces. Because they knew that just bringing Kuchiki back wouldn't be enough.

"You're finally ready", Toushirou asked as Ichigo finally entered the basement.

"Yes", Ichigo said as he lifted his face to look at the gigantic gate in front of them.

"Then let's go", Toushirou said as he turned at the gate.

"When I open the gate you have three minutes to reach the point, then captain Hitsugaya opens the gate and from that moment on you have three hours to get Kuchiki before the gate closes and you will be trapped inside that world!" Urahara yelled before he activated the gate.

Immediately after the gate was opened, everyone jumped inside. They run as fast as they could. It didn't take them long, before Toushirou stopped and pulled something out of his kimono. They were four small knives, he threw them all around them and then a small barrier was formed around them.

"This will stop the cleaner for a while, but you remember that you have only three hours. That is the maximum time I can keep the door open", Toushirou said. Then he pulled out his zankpaktou and strikes it to the ground.

Then a small hole opened beside them and they were all sucked in, except Toushirou. Which looked after them with hope in his face. When they had disappeared Toushirou took a long breath and closed his eyes.

"Is it really that hard? To maintain the hole?" A very familiar voice asked him. When Toushirou heard it he immediately saw Matsumoto staring at him.

"Matsumoto!" Toushirou yelled.

"Idiot! What are you doing here?"

"I thought I would keep you company!" Matsumoto said and smiled.

"I never asked you to…" Toushirou started but his voice covered with a loud voice. When Matsumoto turned around to look behind her, she almost fainted. Behind them was the cleaner.

"It's early", Toushirou said and suddenly the knives started to glow blue light. The cleaner crashed straight to the barrier with all its might, but the barrier didn't brake.

Matsumoto turned around to look at his captain. Even though he was using his reiatsu to keep the hole open, he also was using it to maintain the barrier. Even though he had enormous amount of reiatsu, it still didn't last forever. And when he would run out of reiatsu they both would be eaten by the cleaner. Despite knowing this Matsumoto had still decided to stay with her captain, even if it meant dying here and now.

"_If it comes down to that I will do anything in my power, to stop the cleaner", _Matsumoto thought at the same time touching her zankpaktou.

"_Even if it would all be for nothing", _she sighed and then turned to look at her captain, which had once again closed his eyes to concentrate.

"We have once again laid our hopes on that boy, captain", Matsumoto said, and even though he didn't answer her, she knew that he had heard her.

When Ichigo opened his eyes it was completely white around him. He was lying on something cold and he immediately stood up. Everything was covered with snow and ice.

"Hey Ichigo! Are you finally awake!" A loud voice yelled at him. Ichigo lifted his face and saw Renji standing at a small hill.

Ichigo jumped next to Renji.

"So what do you think?" Renji said and swung his hand all over the place. Ichigo looked around him for a while before answering.

"I can see now why only Toushirou and Rukia, would be allowed to enter here", Ichigo said and smiled. Renji responded to his smile and smiled also.

"Yeah, now let's go everyone are waiting for us", Renji said and started to lead them away.

After a while of walking Ichigo could see them, all of them had made it safely through the gate, except for on person. Ichigo looked around him.

"Where are Rangiku and Yoruichi?" Ichigo asked. Renji just lifted his shoulders.

"Rangiku probably staid with captain Hitsugaya. As for Yoruishi…no idea", Ikkaku said without commenting it more than that. Because anyone else didn't say anything else of it, Ichigo decided to leave it at that also.

"So where should we be headed?", Ichigo asked and immediately he had said that he ground started to shake. They move away just in time, when group of gigantic snow monster rose from the ground.

"Damn!" Ichigo said and started to pull out his zankpaktou.

"Leave this to us!" Ikkaku said as he charged at the monsters with Yumichika.

Ichigo looked at them but decided then follow the others, which had rushed to the other direction. Right in front of them was huge snow mountain. And everyone seemed to be headed to that direction. Ichigop caught up to Renji.

"Why are we heading to that direction?" Ichigo asked of Renji.

"Are you stupid? Can't you feel the reiatsu that is coming out of it", Renji said and looked at Ichigo like he was an idiot.

Just when he was about to answer Renji, he felt it. He felt countless of reiatsu coming out of that mountain. But that wasn't the thing that caught Ichigo´s attention; it was the feint but familiar reiatsu coming from deep within the mountain.

"Rukia", Ichigo said and rushed forward, passing Renji.

"OI! Ichigo!" Renji yelled after him, but Ichigo didn't listen to him.

"_Wait for me, Rukia!" _He though to himself as he rushed forward.

Just at the downside of the mountain they stopped to look around them.

"So how are we suppose to get inside?" Ichigo asked looking around him.

"Watch out, Ichigo!" Ukitake yelled and appeared right next to him, stopping something that had been thrown at him.

"Quite good, shinigami!" A voice said. Then suddenly two shinigamis in white kimonos appeared in front of them.

"Let's see of you can stop the next one", the voice said again and this time it Kyoraku who stopped the attack.

"Leave this to us, and go", Kyoraku said as he charged forward, with Ukitake.

Ichigo didn't question and rushed to the direction the two of them had appeared. Soon they came across a small door. Without thinking Ichigo pulled out his zankpaktou and smashed the door to bits.

"Oi! Ichigo calm down!" Renji yelled behind him. But Ichigo didn´t listen to him and rushed forward. He was running in a big corridor, which seemed to go on and on. Finally he saw light at the end of the tunnel. He came in a large room, which had three possible ways to go.

Soon Renji and Byakuya reached him and looked at the tunnels.

"It seems we will have to split up", Renji said and looked at the tunnels. Before Ichigo could answer they heard a loud laughing coming from the shadows.

"You don't have to split up, because you all will be dying in here!" The voice said and suddenly two shinigamis appeared from the shadows. Ichigo recognized them immediately.

"It's you", he said with hate in his voice.

"Ho? You remember us? I'm honoured", Yutaka Higa said and smiled at Ichigo. The other shinigami standing there Hyuga Yuri, just pulled his zankåaktou out and pointed it at Ichigo.

"You won't be going anywhere", he said.

"I doubt that", Ichigo said and got ready to pull out his zankpaktou.

"Bankai!" He heard Renji scream behind him. Then when he turned around to look, he saw Renji´s zankpaktou´s large head coming towards him. He nearly avoided it by jumping on it's head.

"Renji what are you…" Ichigo started but Renji threw him to the tunnel which was on the middle. And after that the whole tunnel collapse, Ichigo nearly avoided the collapse and go out of the tunnel just in time.

"Idiot", Ichigo said as he got up. Then he was startled by the familiar reiatsu he was feeling from behind him.

When he turned around he saw Rukia; she was sitting in a chair which was made out of ice, and both her hands and legs had been frozen with the chair. She was still in her adult form and her zankpaktou was on the ground in front of her.

"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled as her rushed towards her. Then he suddenly stopped when he saw who appeared behind her.

"Long time no see, Ichigo", the person said with a smile on his face.

"Rikuo", Ichigo said and bit his teeth.

* * *

**I´m so sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out. But I have been so busy at school; I had an exam week and then I had to write over three essays...so I have been reallt busy. But finally I got some free time to write this, and I hope you like it:D**

**Disclaimer: I don´t own Bleach or any of its characters!**


	10. Chapter 10

"Hi Ichigo", Rikuo said and started to walk towards Ichigo. Ichigo grabbed his zankpaktou´s guard and pulled it out. Rikuo looked curiously at Ichigo, when he pointed his zankpaktou at Rikuo.

"There is really no need for that Ichigo", Rikuo said and stopped about two meters away from Ichigo. Ichigo lifted his other eyebrow; questioning.

"What do you mean by that?" Ichigo asked, without letting his guard down though.

"Because we´re not enemies, Ichigo. We´re allies", Rikuo said and opened both of his arms. Ichigo looked at Rikuo like he had gone insane.

* * *

Allies? Never, that guy had just few hours ago kidnapped Rukia and before that he had almost killed both of them. Also he had turned Rukia in to that kid, which could lead to her death. Not to mention everything else he had done to Rukia before . So no, if it depended on Ichigo they were not even close to allies. Still, Ichigo couldn´t help him from asking.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked. Rikuo looked at Ichigo like he was a ten-year old kid.

"Can´t you see Ichigo! Seireitei was once your enemy, and it will still be your enemy in the future", Rikuo said with calm voice. Ichigo had to lift his eyebrow again; what the heck was this guy talking about? Did he mean the time when Rukia got taken away by the Soul Society, or the countless other times, he had gone against the Soul Society; and made them turn against him. Anyways all of those things were in the past, besides the Seireitei had come with him to save Rukia.

"It´s true that sometimes I don´t agree with the Soul Society, but it doesn´t mean that we´re enemies; besides they came here to help me save Rukia", Ichigo said, remembering once again what he had come here to do.

* * *

Rikuo looked at Ichigo like he was a stubborn child; his patience was clearly running out.

"They didn´t come here to help you, they came here to kill me! They don´t do these things to help you, they just do things that only benefit themselves", Rikuo said, but then he realized Ichigo´s face and decided to give up. He dropped his head and sighed out of frustration.

"You are impossible", he mumbled and pulled his zankpaktou out. Ichigo put both of his hands around zangetsu and got ready; but Rikuo just looked at his zankpaktou.

"Did you know that zankpaktous are shinigamis best friends?" Rikuo asked, eyes fixed on his sword. Ichigo looked first at him and then Zangetsu.

"They reflect our inner world, our dreams, our souls and when two strong shingami clash their zankpaktous together, they might be able see glimpses of that other person´s past."

* * *

After saying that Rikuo lifted his face and looked straight at Ichigo; Ichigo´s face looked shocked.

"Sounds familiar doesn´t it? That´s right, when we last time clashed our swords together; you were able to see some of my memories. Weren´t you?" Rikuo asked and lifted his other eyebrow. Ichigo remembered immediately those pictures, and they flew immediately back to him; and once again his body went completely numb from the questions that were flowing in his head. Then he suddenly shook his head and tried to keep his thoughts together.

* * *

Rikuo smiled his confident smile and pointed his sword at Ichigo.

"But I was also able to see some pictures of you past as well", Rikuo said. Ichigo looked at Rikuo cautiously; what he had seen? Rikuo noticed Ichigo´s cautious look and his smile widened.

"I saw some interesting things; you desperately training to gain your shinigami powers again, you desperately fighting Kuchiki Byakuya, and many other things; but those weren´t the things that got my attention…" Rikuo took a small brake, before continuing.

"Ichigo, it seems that you had a mother."

* * *

When Ichigo heard his words, his face turned completely white. All the blood escaped from his face. Rikuo seemed very pleased of the expression he had made on Ichigo´s face.

"If I remember correctly; she was killed by a hollow, because you tried to save a human soul which was actually a hollow´s bait", Rikuo said staring at the same time to the ceiling. At the same time Ichigo bit his teeth together and squeezed his zankpaktou more tightly in his hand.

"You loved her very much…", Rikuo said slowly and then glanced at Ichigo, to see his expression.

"If there was a way, would you bring her back?" Rikuo asked curiously. Ichigo lifted his face and looked straight at Rikuo. From his face Ichigo saw that Rikuo wasn´t joking.

"What?" Ichigo asked with a quiet voice.

"I asked if there was a way, would you bring her back." Rikuo asked and looked straight at Ichigo. Before Ichigo could answer, Rikuo spoke again.

"I won´t be able to bring her back, but you can. All you have to do is travel to the past and kill that hollow before it kills your mother", Rikuo said, like it was the simplest thing to do in this world.

* * *

Ichigo was clearly shocked, not because of the Rikuo´s proposal, but because it was true; if the time machine actually worked he could go to the past and stop himself from running to save that girl. He could save his mother! When the thought came into his mind, he was filled with hope, and strange but yes, happiness. He felt like everything could be saved by this.

* * *

When Ichigo lifted his face to look at Rikuo; his eyes were caught by two violet orbs, which were staring at him from the other side of the room. Rukia had woken up! She hadn´t said anything, she didn´t do anything; she just stared at him from the other side of the room. The look wasn´t angry, or disappointed, or in any way negative, in fact it was little bit…sad. Ichigo was shocked of her expression. He didn´t understand why she looked at him like that; when at the same time he was selling her out, because of his own desires. Rukia should hate him, but she didn´t, she just had that sad expression on her.

* * *

Then Ichigo realized why Rukia was looking at him like that; because she was letting Ichigo decide. And whatever he decided; Rukia wasn´t going to hate or despise him, because Rukia knew how much that accident ate him inside, even now. She knew that if Ichigo decided to go on with Rikuo she would die, but she still allowed to Ichigo decide.

* * *

He lowered his face and his hand, he couldn´t bear to look at Rukia. He hated himself! How could he even think of selling her out! She had done so much for him! She had saved him countless of times! She had changed his world! He would own her for the rest of his life, and even that wouldn´t be enough! And still she didn´t care even if Ichigo would sell her out! She still didn´t realize how much she was worth!

"Idiot…" Ichigo said still looking to the ground and at the same time biting his teeth together. Rikuo looked at Ichigo with surprised face.

"Did you say something?" Rikuo asked and then Ichigo disappeared from his sight. Before he realized it Ichigo had appeared in front of him; and he was just nearly able to avoid his attack.

"You´re an idiot! A big idiot!" Ichigo yelled and looked at Rukia. It took Rikuo a while to realize that he wasn't talking to him, and turned to look behind him; then he realized tha Rukia was staring straight to Ichigo.

"Don´t look at me with those eyes which say that you´re ready to die! Don´t look at me like your life has no value! It has! To me! You big idiot!" Ichigo yelled as loud as he could to Rukia.

* * *

Rikuo looked at Rukia this whole time, when Ichigo was finished; Rikuo realized that a small tear dropped from her eye, but at the same time a small smile spread across her face. Rikuo was clearly shocked and turned to look at Ichigo. What had this young boy done?

"Rikuo!" Ichigo yelled and turned his face to look at Rikuo.

"I´m afraid; that I have to say no to your offer, and I´m going defeat you here and now, and take Rukia with me!" Ichigo yelled with confidence and pointed his sword at Rikuo. This seemed to wake him up.

"That´s too bad, I thought you might be a little bit smarter than you look, but no matter I´m going to kill you here and now! Then this whole act will be over!" Rikuo yelled as he lifted his zanpaktou.

* * *

For a while they just stood there staring at each other. Then they suddenly disappeared and a loud voice was heard, as their swords met. Rukia looked as both of them attacked each other, and wondered how all of this had happened, and why? Fate clearly had a sick humor. It was like everyone around her were destined to disappear. How lucky of her! She thought bitterly. Then she looked at her hands and legs, they were tied up really tightly.

* * *

She sighed and lay back in the chair, she wasn´t going anywhere that was for sure. And even if she got herself free, she was sure that her legs wouldn´t be strong enough for her to walk. She had realized it a while ago, but her body was finally giving in. She wasn´t sure for how long she would be able to maintain her body from shredding to pieces. She just hoped that as long as it was necessary.

* * *

Ichigo hit Rikuo with everything he got and so did Rikuo. They were fighting so evenly, and it was hard to guess who would actually be able to win, but neither one of them backed up. For few times Ichigo had to look at Rukia, to make sure that she was still there. Her reiatsu was so weak that it was hard to detect it and it was getting weaker and weaker by every minute. This was the thing that Urahara had warned him, after he had brought the small Rukia to him, after their first encounter with Rikuo.

* * *

_Ichigo remembered the conversation he had with Urahara after he was done examining Rukia. And the moment when Urahara delivered the deadly news._

"_I´m not sure how am I supposed to say this, so I´m just gonna say it straight on. Ichigo, if we can´t find a way to turn her back to normal, she´s gonna…die."_

_ When the last words sank in, Ichigo felt like the ground had disappeared and that he was just floating in thin air._

"_What…what do you mean by that!" Ichigo yelled when he finally got his voice back._

"_Quiet Kurosaki, you´re going to wake her", Urahara said with calm voice. Ichigo put a hand in his mouth and tried to listen if he had woken her up. It seemed to be okay, so he spoke up again, but this time with a lot more quiet voice._

"_What do you mean?" He asked again._

"_What I said Kurosaki, if we can´t find a way to turn her back to normal, she is going to die", Urahara repeated, but when he realized that Ichigo didn´t understand; he sighed and started to explain._

"_Even though she has turned in to a normal soul, the stress on her body is still too big. Like you said earlier, yes her powers will return to her, but they are too great for that small body to handle them, not to mention the damage she took when her powers were forcibly removed. In other words she will die without her powers but at the same time those powers are killing her. So we´re in a corner", Urahara said with serious voice._

_ Ichigo´s head dropped down, he didn´t know what to do. If he didn´t do anything Rukia was going to die. But what he could do about it?_

* * *

Yes that conversation had been one of the worst conversations he had ever had. The moment he heard that Rukia was going to die, his heart was shredding to pieces. She was dying and there was nothing he could do about it. And it was killing him! But now he was battling against the person responsible and he would make this guy tell him how to save Rukia. All he had to do was defeat him.

* * *

Then he decided to finally take the battle on to the next stage, just stepping on one place would get then nowhere. So he suddenly stopped and so did Rikuo. He pointed his sword in front of him and yelled as loud as he could.

"Bankai!" He was covered with dust and all Rikuo could do was watch. Soon Ichigo reappeared, in his bankai.

"Tensa zangetsu", Ichigo said. Rikuo looked curiously and leaned his head to his left side.

"It still amazes me; how something so small can be bankai", after he had said that, Ichigo disappeared from his sight and lashed him to his back.

* * *

Rikuo didn´t try to avoid it and he fell to the ground. Ichigo landed to the ground and pointed his sword at Rikuo.

"Give up", he said with low and ordering voice. Then Rikuo started to laugh at the ground, Ichigo looked at him like he had gone insane.

"Don´t get cocky kid", Rikuo said as he stood up from the ground and turned to look at Ichigo.

"Don´t think you´re the only one who has bankai!" Rikuo yelled and lifted his sword to point in the ceiling.

"Bankai!" He yelled as loudly as he could. Because of the great air pressure Ichigo had to jump back from him.

* * *

After the dust cleared Rikuo was still standing in the same place as before, but he had changed, a lot. His zankpaktou was gone, but he himself had turned completely white, like snow. He had something in his back that looked like pair of wings, but they were like bat´s wings. And when Rikuo opened his eyes they were completely red, like rubies. He just stared at Ichigo with his empty eyes.

Then he suddenly disappeared and the reappeared right in front of Ichigo. Ichigo looked shocked when he appeared in front of him.

"_Don´t look so shocked, Kurosaki Ichigo." _Ichigo heard his voice inside his head and was just nearly able to avoid, when Rikuo lashed him with one of his wings.

"_You´re fast I give you that", _Rikuo said and turned around to look at Ichigo. Ichigo hadn´t been completely able to avoid him because his left arm was bleeding.

"_Better keep you_r _eyes open because there is more to come", _Rikuo said as he rushed towards Ichigo.

* * *

Rukia had been looking at the battle this whole time, but the sight in front of her was a shock to her. She knew that, even though Rikuo had been in the Shinigami Research and Development Institute it certainly didn´t mean that he was weak. Quite the opposite, he was one of the strongest fighter in the whole 12th squad. It was hinted that his powers were over lieutenant and close to captain´s.

But not even in her wildest dreams she could have believed that he had already a bankai. But it was also true that she hadn´t seen him in the last few years, and who knows what he had been doing that time. Rukia let her head drop and bit her teeth together.

"What happened to you?" Rukia whispered and lifted his face to look at Rikuo.

"Rikuo…"

* * *

**Disclaimer : I don´t own Bleach or it´s characters**


	11. Chapter 11

**This chapter will mainly focus on Rukia and Rikuo, and how they met. It might take a while again before I can write again, because school is about to end and I have tons of shool work to do. But be patient! And thank you for reading!**

**Disclaimer: I don´t own Bleach nor it´s characters**

* * *

_It had been couple of years since Kaien died…no let me correct myself; when I killed him. Since then nothing changed; no one blamed me from it, they all said that I did the right thing. Of course they didn´t dare to say anything that would anger the __**Kuchiki. **__God she hated being a Kuchiki. Everyone were justo either afraid of her (which was very rare), or just simply annoyed by her existence (that was very common)._

_ She didn´t actually mind what they thought about her; she had already gotten used to it. The worst thing was that the time she had spent with Kaien-dono, she had gotten used to being around everyone and everyone seemed to be in good terms with her. Maybe they still tried to be and it was only she who tried to take distance from them. Either way she was once again just Kuchiki-__**sama**__._

_ That all changed when he met Rikuo._

* * *

_She was walking alone around Seireitei. Well actually she was going to meet his brother, because he had called for her, for some reason. She didn´t understand why her brother wanted to her to come some meetings from time to time. It´s not like he actually cared about her on anything like that, it was just that…_

_ And my thoughts were stopped when I suddenly bumped into someone. I saw a lot of papers flying in the air and landing around the ground. Then she heard a very deep breathing and turned to look at the person who she had bumped into._

_ She almost wanted to scream, immediately when that person had noticed her, he had bowed in front of her._

"_Oh! I´m so sorry!" The shinigami said and kneeled to the ground. Rukia wanted to puke; she hated this._

"_It´s okay", Rukia said with really depressing voice and started then collect his papers from the ground. Rukia noticed that the person was slowly lifting his head._

"_Oh! Rukia-sama! You don´t have to!" The person said quickly and rushed to Rukia, to take his papers away from her._

_ When she heard the title; she almost wanted to cut that person´s head of, but let it go with just a sigh._

_It´s okay. I was in my thoughts and didn´t pay attention around me", she said and handed the papers back to him. The person looked at her with wide eyes, and then Rukia decided to leave the place, before he wanted to repay this to her in some way. _

"_Bye then", she quickly said and turned around, ready to walk away. The person seemed to recover from his shock._

"_Is there something that I can do to repay you?" The shinigami yelled eagerly after her. Rukia wanted to stab herself; here it is. Still she turned around to look at him._

"_There is really no need", she said with tired voice, and wished that he would leave it at that: of course she wasn´t that lucky._

"_No! I insist!" The shinigami said with determined voice._

_ Rukia wanted to yell at the shinigami to scram, or in any way to scare him of; but that would just trigger a gossip that the Kuchiki princess was starting to attack other squad members, or something like that. Then she thought up something and almost smiled to her idea._

"_Fine, anything?" She wanted to make sure, before saying her request._

"_Anything", the shinigami said._

"_Stop calling me Rukia-sama", she said and was actually quite proud that she had the courage to actually say it out loud. Then she turned around and started to walk away._

_She was sure that the boy would just be shocked for a second, but wouldn´t definitely stop calling her –sama. All she had to do was be quick enough to get out of here._

"_Then Rukia!" The shinigami suddenly yelled and it made Rukia turn around._

_ The boy was smiling widely at her._

"_See you around Rukia!" The boy said and ran away. Rukia was quite shocked to see him call him by her name so easily. No one had done that before, except Kaien-dono and… She shook her head; there was no point in thinking about Renji now. She smiled after the shinigami and then continued to walk away._

* * *

_Rukia was once again walking around Seireitei, but this time she had a job to do. She had to go to the living world with someone from the 12__th__ Squad to gather some data. She had no idea why she had to do it. Usually she was never allowed to go to the living world, because it was so dangerous and everyone thought that she was unable to take care of herself, which was rubbish._

_ Well there was no point in thinking about it know, the situation was what it was nothing more nothing less. For a second she thought of running away and saying that she had some other things to do. She had to slap herself for even thinking something so childish and selfish. But the idea kept on growing and growing as she walked towards the Senkaimon._

_ When she finally got to the gate she was already at the point that she thought of running away immediately. For her luck the other shinigami wasn´t there yet. She had time to pull herself together and stop her urges to run away. She was so concentrated on her own thoughts that she almost jumped in the air, when she heard voice behind her._

"_Rukia?" The voice asked very surprised. Rukia couldn´t believe her eyes, someone except Ukitake and Renji addressed her normally._

_ Rukia´s eyes were wide open from surprise when she turned around to look at the person behind her. Her eyes widened even more when she noticed who was standing behind her. It was the same shinigami who she had crashed the other day. The person had very uncomfortable look on his face and he seemed to struggle._

"_Is something the matter, Rukia…" The shinigami asked and it seemed like he had wanted to add something after the Rukia._

_ Rukia had to shook her head again and get the stupid expression from her face._

"_I´m sorry, nothing is wrong. I just didn´t think I would be seeing you again", Rukia had to say without thinking. But the shinigami didn´t seem to mind, in fact he started to smile as he walked towards Rukia._

"_Good! I thought you were displeased that you had to accompany me to the living world or something like that", person said as he stopped right in front of her. Rukia was surprised how tall he was, she had to lift her face so that she could see his face. It was very pleasing sight she had to think._

_ Rukia didn´t know how long they just stood there to stare at each other, but then suddenly person coughed that woke Rukia up._

"_Shall we go?" the person said and pointed at the gate. Rukia shook her head again and turned around._

"_After you", Rukia said in awkward tune. Person nodded and walked past her. Rukia made sure that she followed exactly two steps behind him, when they entered in the gate._

_ The two of them walked in complete silence only their footsteps were heard until the person suddenly turned his head around to look at Rukia._

"_You really don´t have to walk so far away. I´m not going to bite", the person said with a wide smirk on his face. Rukia felt as her face started to turn red. She was forced to turn her head away._

"_I have just gotten used to walking behind my superiors", Rukia said without thinking. _

"_How do you that I´m your superior?" The person asked. Then Rukia noticed that he had slowed his steps and was now walking beside her._

"_Well aren´t you?" Rukia asked lifting an eyebrow. The person scratched his head and seemed to think about it._

"_Well you´re a Kuchiki so I suppose I´m under you", the person said and smiled._

_ There it was again the Kuchiki name, god she hated it._

"_Well, if we think that I´m just an ordinary shinigami what about then?" Rukia asked seemingly annoyed by the conversation. The person just kept on smiling. Where did he get his confidence? He is completely a different person from the person he was when they first met. Then she realized something really shocking._

"_I don´t even know your name!" Rukia yelled without thinking. The moment she had said it she wanted to slap herself, what was wrong with her today, why she said everything out loud._

"_Well you´re right. I guess we haven´t been introduced yet", then the person suddenly stopped and Rukia stopped also._

"_My name is Takami Rikuo 3__rd__ seat of the 12__th__ squad. Nice to meet you!" Rikuo said and smiled very widely. Rukia felt as her face started to turn red again, gosh what was wrong with her._

"_Nice to meet you", Rukia said. Rikuo had to laugh._

"_Well this isn´t the first time we meet, is it?" Rikuo asked while laughing. Rukia knew that he was mocking her but she didn´t care, she just wanted to smile at him but enough was enough._

"_Okay, that´s enough of mocking me", Rukia said and slapped him behind his head._

"_Ouch!" Rikuo said and held his head. Rukia just smiled at him and walked past him._

"_Let´s go. We have a job to do", Rukia said and walked forward. Rikuo smirked at the miss bossy, but followed then after her without saying anything._

* * *

_Rukia and Rikuo arrived at the living world without problems, but the worst was just about to come. _

_ It was midnight when they arrived to the world of the living. It was full moon. Rukia love the full moon and wanted to stay and watch it for the rest of the eternity, but Rikuo woke her up soon._

"_Let´s go dreamer. We have a lot of work to do", Rikuo said and used shunpo to disappear. Rukia had to sigh. Even though she was very fast there was no way that she would be able to keep up with Rikuo´s speed. Still she had to go after him._

_ After searching a while she finally found Rikuo at the abandoned warehouse. He was checking the place up very carefully. Rukia sighed again._

"_Just get on with the thing you were supposed to do. I will finish on checking the place that´s the whole reason I'm here, right?" Rukia asked and Rikuo turned to look at her._

"_I guess you´re right", Rikuo said pulled out his stuff and started to do something with them. Rukia just sighed again started to check the place, there was no reason to try and understand what the 12__th__ squad was doing._

_ She tried sensing around the warehouse and the town for anything out of the ordinary. She also tested on sending her reaitsu out so that it would lure out any hollow, if there were any. She got nothing but she didn´t still let her guard down. _

_ It took them almost the whole night until he was finally ready. _

"_I´m done Rukia, let´s head back", Rikuo said and started to back up his things. Rukia nodded but she had an uneasy feeling about the surrounding area. There was something very big out there, but she couldn´t tell what. The best choice was to leave as quickly as possible._

"_I´m done", Rikuo said and Rukia started to walk towards him slowly but still checking around her. Rikuo had to smile; she was a little bit too paranoid._

"_Rukia everything is fine let´s just head back", Rikuo said and got ready to pull out his zankpaktou to get ready to open up the gate._

_ Rukia couldn't shake the annoying feeling that there was someone watching them. And then she suddenly saw them hundreds of red eyes were watching them outside the warehouse._

"_Rikuo?" Rukia asked and pulled slowly her zankpaktou out._

"_I know", Rikuo said quietly. They were back to back and tried to count them._

"_I would say about over hundred", Rukia said and felt as her hands started to sweat._

"_I would say over thousand", Rikuo said and his voice sounded very nervous._

_ Thousand? There was just no way that they would get away. Rukia thought to herself. Rikuo must have sensed her anxiety._

"_Rukia I try to lead them away. In the meanwhile open the gate and get out of here", Rikuo said. Rukia was seemingly shocked by his words._

"_I could never run away!" Rukia yelled._

"_You´re not running away go get help, I´m waiting for your return", Rikuo said and then he suddenly disappeared. After that Rukia heard loud noises and clashes, as Rikuo fought against the many hollows._

"_I have to get help", Rukia said as she opened the gate and rushed through it; without noticing the three shadows which followed her._

* * *

_Rukia ran like the hell itself was after her. Why am I running? Rukia asked herself and then she suddenly stopped. _

"_It´s happening again. I´m running away because I´m afraid. I´m pathetic!" Rukia said to herself and bit her lips._

"_I can´t just stand here, I have to go and help him!" She said and turned around. Then a large light rushed towards her, she was just nearly able avoid it._

"_Who is there?" Rukia yelled and pulled her zankpaktou out. She heard loud laughing and soon three hollow appeared in front of her._

"_I´m amazed that you were able to avoid that. Well you´re shinigami I give you that, even though a very weak one", one of the hollows said while looking at Rukia._

"_I can´t sense anything from her. Is she really even a shinigami?" the other asked._

"_She has to be, she has that black kimono and sword too!" the third yelled. _

_ At first Rukia couldn´t understand what they were talking about, until she noticed that she had been unconsciously suppressed all of her reiatsu. So that no one would notice her, what a coward. It angered her so much that she released all of her reiatsu at once, it seemed to shock the hollows. But Rukia didn´t give them time to recover._

"_Mai Sode no Shirayuki!" She yelled and then her zankpaktou turned completely white._

"_Tsugi no Mai! Hakuren!" She yelled and then wide ice wave came out of her zankpaktou. The hollows didn´t have the time to evade. _

_ She finished them of easily and then rushed back the same way she had come. _

"_Wait for me Rikuo!" Rukia thought and rushed forward as fast as she could._

* * *

_Rikuo was breathing heavily, he had no idea how many hollows he had taken out already but their number just kept on increasing._

"_Damn there is no end to them", Rikuo said and bit his teeth together._

"_Hahaha! Just give up shinigami! There is no way for you to beat all of us! Just let us eat you already!" One of the hollows yelled at him._

"_But he´s not alone!"_

_ After hearing a very familiar voice Rikuoa turned around to look behind him, he was just able to see Rukia jumping in front of him._

"_Some no mai! Tsukishiro!" Rukia yelled and then the entire ground started to freeze. Rukia quickly grabbed Rikuo and jumped out of the circle. Most of the hollows froze right at the spot and then shattered to pieces._

"_Wow!" Rikuo looked at all the hollows she had defeated all by herself. And then remembered the order he had given her and turned to look at with furious expression._

"_Hey you…" Rikuo started but was enchanted by the beauty of her pure white sword. With the moon behind her she seemed like the death angel itself; with her violet eyes, raven black hair and pure white zankpaktou._

_ Rukia realized that Rikuoa was staring at him and turned to look at him with questioning face._

"_Is something the matter?" Rukia asked and lifted her eyebrow. Rikuo shook his head._

"_Everything! I told you to run!" Rikuo yelled at him. And for some reason Rukia´s eyes turned even darker and she turned to look away._

"_Yes you did", Rukia said with her head turned away._

"_Then why didn´t you listen to me! I wouldn´t have died! Now we are both in bad situation and you…" Rikuo yelled but he stopped when he realized the look Rukia gave her; it was dark and full of sorrow and pain._

"_This fight wasn´t about protecting you pride, I can tell the difference. So there is no reason why I shouldn´t help you", Ruki said with low and painful voice. Rikuo was shocked by her voice and by the look on her face. What did she mean by it? Fight about pride?_

"_We can´t just leave them like this. They´re going to hurt the souls and humans. So what should we do?" Rukia asked and turned to look at Rikuo._

_ Rikuo shook his head to get his thought together._

"_You´re right, if we don´t do anything it´s going to be trouble. But there´s no way we can defeat them all by ourselves. We should retreat and then call help", Rikuo said and stood up._

"_Roger", Rukia said and then started to walk towards Rikuo. But she stopped when she felt someone and turned around just in time to slash an attacking hollow in half._

"_You´re fast little Miss shinigami but that´s not going to be enough to defeat all of us" the deep voice said and soon they were surrounded by hundreds of hollows._

"_Well I suppose our plan backfired little", Rikuo said and pointed his zankpaktou at the hollow._

"_What now?" Rukia asked and glanced at Rikuo._

"_Take them down one by one!" Rikuo yelled with confident smile. Rukia had to sigh but she agreed that it was the only way._

_ And so they started to slay the hollows. Even now Rukia wasn´t sure how many she had killed that night but all she saw was blood of the hollow. Everything else was blurred away._

* * *

_Dawn was already breaking when they finally got the last of them. The morning sun lightened the bloody place and the two shinigami who were sitting at the middle of it._

"_I suppose that´s that", Rikuo said and tried to stand up, his leg was broken. Rukia rushed next to him and lifted him up._

"_Sorry."_

"_Don´t bother. Let´s just get out of here", Rukia said with tired voice and opened gate. Leaning on Rukia, Rikuo had to amaze the strength of the little shinigami but more than that there was something he wanted to say more than anything._

"_Thank you Rukia, for coming to help", Rikuo said. Rukia sighed and lifted her face to look at Rikuo._

"_Like I said earlier don´t bother", she said with a smile on her face. Then the two tired shinigami left the bloody scene behind them._


	12. Chapter 12

Two month´s had passed since the accident at the living world. When they had arrived back, they had been immediately sent to the 4th squad´s barracks. They both had injuries but nothing serious and Rikuo´s leg was going to be fine after two weeks. The only good thing that had come out of the entire incident was that now no one thought Rukia just merely a brat who was noble but who couldn´t fight.

After the incident Rikuo had closed himself up in his research and Rukia wasn´t able to meet him after that, not that it made Rukia sad or anything like that. It was just…

* * *

Rukia shook her to trying to get her mind of Rikuo. She was on a hollow hunt at the 78th District of Rukongai, her old home. She looked around her the place was still the same dirty and poor. Many people backed away from her as she walked past them, many stopped speaking, fighting and just stared at her.

It didn´t really bother her she had gotten used to it, in Seireitei; but to think that even in here everyone would started at her. She speeded up her steps and rushed forward. It didn´t took her long to finally get out of the village and to the wide fields that were behind the village. At the fields she turned to look at the town behind her and sighed in depression, and then she continued her walk without thinking anything.

It was said that a large hollow had been eating people for quite a while and that it always disappeared after it had taken one soul. It was really careful and probably smart too, which made it hard to track it down.

"I wonder what Rikuo is doing now?" Rukia said to herself, and was immediately shocked of her thoughts. No! She did not care what he was doing, not one bit, she just…

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud scream. She rushed as fast as she could and arrived just in time to see a large hollow to hunt three children. Rukia acted quickly and rushed between the hollow and the children. Hollow stopped immediately when he noticed Rukia. The three children hid behind her and Rukia tried to check if they were injured.

"You three! Where is your parent? What are you doing here all alone?" Rukia tried to question them. The other two were too scared to answer, but the third and probably the oldest pointed his finger at the hollow in front of them.

"It was him! He ate our mother!" the boy yelled with pure rage in his voice. Rukia bit her teeth together and looked at the hollow with disgusted voice.

"Son of a bitch!" Rukia said. The hollow just laughed.

"You´re next shinigami after I´m done with the kids!" the hollow yelled.

The oldest boy got really angry and rushed towards him.

"I´m no afraid!" the boy yelled.

"Idiot get back!" Rukia yelled and rushed after the boy. Everything happened in the matter of seconds; the hollow attacked the boy, Rukia pushed him out of the way but didn´t have enough time to evade the hollow´s attack and it bit her in the arm. Rukia was able to slash the hollow´s other eye of and he let go of her hand. Rukia grabbed the boy and jumped away from the hollow.

"Now stay put!" Rukia yelled at the boy and the boy looked shocked but was still able to nod at her. Then Rukia turned to look at the hollow.

"You bitch I´m going to kill you!" The hollow yelled and rushed at her.

Rukia tried to think the situation through: the hollow had injured her right hand and it was now useless, there was no way for her to beat him while fighting with her left hand. She might be able to stop the hollow so that the kids could get away but that´s about it.

"You…" Rukia started, but her speech was cut in short when the hollow suddenly stopped and split in half right in front of them.

"Awesome!" The kids behind her yelled. But I didn´t do anything, Rukia thought to herself, until she saw a very familiar face behind the hollow. Rikuo.

Rukia just stared at him with disbelief in her face.

"Yo! Rukia are you okay!" Rikuo yelled as he rushed towards her.

"What are you doing here?" Rukia asked when he stopped right in front of her.

"I was in the neighborhood", Rikuo said with a wide smirk.

"Lie", Rukia just said but she had to smile at him, without him they would all be dead by now. After remembering the kids she turned around to look at them.

"Are you all okay?" Rukia asked.

"Yeah, you´re the one who is injure onee-san", the oldest boy said with a smirk. Rukia just sighed. And whose fault is that, Rukia thought.

"I´m sorry", the boy said with a lowered face.

"Don´t be", Rukia said and smiled.

Then they heard loud voices and everyone turned around to look behind them; someone was running towards them.

"Dad!" One of the kids yelled and started to run towards the man. Soon the other two followed.

"Right I forgot to ask what is your name?" the oldest boy asked and turned around, but Rikuo and Rukia had already disappeared.

* * *

Both of them looked from far away as the kids met up with the man and then walked away. Rukia sighed and started to walk away too.

"Where are you going?" Rikuo asked.

"Back, the job is done", Rukia simply said and walked forward. Rikuo shrugged his shoulders and then followed her.

* * *

After a while of walking it started to rain.

"Rain?" Rikuo said and looked at the sky.

"It seems so", Rukia said without stopping.

"Don´t you think we should get cover?" Rikuo asked looking around him.

"No, we don´t die if we walk in the rain", Rukia said.

"Yes, but that wound of yours might get infected. We should treat it", Rikuo said with a serious voice. That made Rukia stop. After sighing she turned around to look at Rikuo.

"Fine you win, we´ll rest", Rukia said, which made Rikuo smile.

* * *

Then after walking for a while they found a small abandoned house. When they got closer to it, they noticed it was an old shrine or something like that. It wasn't very large, but it kept the rain out and there was just enough room for both of them.

For a while they just sat there looking at the rain. Rukia´s thoughts, without her noticing it wondered to Kaien and to the night he had died. Rukia realized what her face must have looked like but she didn't care about that. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even realize Rikuo calling out for her.

"Kuchiki Rukia! ", yelled with all his might in her ear. Rukia was so surprised that she almost jumped back to the rain.

"What's your problem!" Rukia yelled back and Rikuo stared at her with his left eyebrow lifted.

"Well I was trying to ask you if I could tie your arm?" Rikuo asked and pointed at her arm, which was still bleeding.

Rukia was surprised she hasn't even noticed that it was hurting until Rikuo had mentioned.

"Sure, thanks", Rukia said and stretched her arm closer to Rikuo. Rikuo took the arm and it made Rukia wince. Rikuo noticed that and loosened his grip from Rukia's arm.

"I'm sorry, did it hurt?" Rikuo asked as he kept checking Rukia's arm.

"No, I was just surprised", Rukia said and looked at the rain, again. She didn't move at all when Rikuo kept checking her arm, then suddenly he just stopped without doing anything. Rukia turned to look at Rikuo and noticed that he had started to rip the upper part of his kimono apart.

"Wha-what do you think you're doing?" Rukia asked in embarrassment and turned her face to look away, it was slowly starting to turn red. Rikuo looked at her in confusion.

"Well we need something to tie up your arm, right?" Rikuo said and kept on ripping his kimono. Rukia took deep breath and glanced at Rikuo behind her hair.

Rikuo didn't look bad at all; if she didn't know better she would say that he was from 11th squad and not from 12th squad. Just out of curiosity Rukia thought how strong he was. Well he was the third set of the 12th squad, so he must be though. But it still seemed a little bit weird that there would be someone really strong in the 12th squad beside the captain, cause most of the people on the 12th squad were either scientist or…scientist. Rukia's thoughts were stopped when she realized that Rikuo was staring at him.

"What?" Rukia asked and turned to look away.

"Nothing", Rikuo said with a smirk on his face. Then he started to tie up her arm.

After her hand was all tied up, they still remained at the shrine for the rain to stop. It was almost nightfall when the rain finally stopped and they were able to continue. It took them couple of hours before they finally reached Seireitei.

"Well then I'm returning back to my barracks", Rikuo said and waved good bye to Rukia. Then Rukia launched the question she had wanted to ask this whole time.

"Why did you come after me? " Rukia asked and stared at him. Rikuo looked confused until he realized where she was getting at.

"I told you I was just in the neighborhood", Rikuo said and shrugged his shoulders.

"And I said that, that was a lie", Rukia said with a sharp stare.

Either one of them gave up and they just kept on staring at each other, until Rukia seemed to remember something and turned around.

"Do what you like", Rukia said with annoyed tune and started to walk away.

"Thank you." She whispered to the wind.

Rikuo kept staring Rukia's back until she disappeared into the night.

"Because it was you", Rikuo just said and walked away.

* * *

After that incident some time passed again and Rikuo started to hang around Rukia more often, if the 13th squad got an assignment, you could be sure of that, that Rikuo was there. Rukia didn't mind his company, because it had been so long since she had actually spent some time together.

But now that she thought about it, those selfish thoughts were the trigger to all of this that later destroyed everything. If she had just ignored him and made him back away, or keep her feelings inside her all of that would've never happened. But it had felt so good to be acknowledged by someone after such a long time. At the same time she wished that at that day she wouldn't have said anything…

* * *

Rukia had left pretty early to her mission, which was to slaughter a hollow in Rukongai. It hadn't yet attacked any souls but it had killed two shinigamis, which had been careless. Normally they would have sent a seated officer or lieutenant but this time almost everyone were busy with something. So they had sent Rukia because her captain thought that she was almost as strong as a seated officer.

Rukia walked slowly around the forest near Rukongai district 61st. The reason she was walking and not running was that a certain person would surely soon appear before her. Even though she had left early so that he wouldn't come with her but that sure didn't stop him from following her. At the same time it was quite annoying but at the same time Rukia was moved by his act.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud crash. She turned her face to look behind her it didn't surprise her at all to find out who it was. Rikuo had just fallen down from a tree and was sitting at the ground.

"Ow! That hurt!" Rikuo yelled in pain. Rukia sighed and put her hands on her hips.

"And what do you think you're doing?" Rukia asked and lifted her eyebrow.

"Well…" Rikuo started and scratch his head. Rukiad sighed again and continued walking.

"Let's go", she said without looking back. Rikuo just smiled and rushed after her.

* * *

Terminating that hollow didn't take long so it wasn't even night yet, when they headed back. Even though it was evening the sky looked pretty clear, until it was filled with clouds and soon after that started raining.

"Rain? Again, it seems like when I'm with you, it always starts raining", Rikuo said and looked at Rukia, with smiling face. Though his smile died almost immediately when he saw Rukia's face; it looked once again so sad, she was just gazing in the sky.

"Rukia?" Rikuo asked carefully. When she heard his voice it seemed like she had just woken up from a dream. She quickly shook her head and turned to look at Rikuo.

"We should continue", she just said and continued to walk away.

Rikuo took deep breath and rushed after her. When he caught her, he caught her arm this way stopping her. Rukia turned to look at him.

"What is it now?" Rukia snapped at him.

"That´s my line? Why, every time we see rain you have that look like someone had died or something!" Rikuo asked. When Rukia had listened Rikuo´s words, she pulled her arm away.

"Why do you want to know? It´s none of your business", Rukia said, while holding her arm. Rikuo bit his teeth together very aggressively. Then he put both of his hands on her shoulders, and turned her to look at him.

"It is my business because…I…Rukia…" Rikuo started with confidence but then he started to swallow awkwardly.

Rukia just turned her face away.

"Because when he died…was raining…" Rukia whispered.

"Who died?" Rikuo asked and tried to see her face, but her hair covered it almost completely.

"Let me correct myself…when I killed him it was raining", Rukia said with her teeth bit together. Rikuo couldn´t be completely sure but he was almost certain that he saw tear falling from her eye.

"It´s okay", Rikuo said and hugged her tightly in his arms. Rukia didn´t do anything she didn´t put her arms around him but she didn´t push him away either.

´You don´t have to be sad anymore, Rukia, I will do something´, Rikuo thought to himself and tightened his grip, and so the two of them just stood there until the rain stopped.

* * *

When Rukia now thought about it; after that moment he became a little bit weird. He no longer followed Rukia around so much; he was just in his own private room, doing some research. And even if Rukia saw him somewhere he was so focused on something that he didn´t even see her.

After few weeks Rukia decided to let it go and forget about him. He probably just grew tired of the Kuchiki princess. Even though the idea of him abandoning her hurt like hell, she had to go on, like always. She had already given up hope until that one day…

* * *

Rukia was walking around the 13th squad´s barracks; since captain was again sick she promised to deliver some important documents to the 6th squad´s captain. She had just grabbed the documents and was on her way to the 6th squad´s barracks, when she heard very familiar voice calling out for her.

"Rukia!" the voice filled with joy yelled. Rukia turned around with surprise on her face, when she recognized the voice. But before she could prepare someone had snatched her from the ground in the air. All the documents flew from her hands as Rikuo lifted her in his arms.

"Iik! Put me down you idiot!" Rukia screamed as Rikuo span around holding her up in the air at the same time.

After spinning around for a while Rikuo finally put her down to the ground. Rukia put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

"What´s wrong with you? I haven´t heard from you over two weeks and then suddenly you just grab me and throw into thin air! Would you like to explain yourself?" Rukia asked with strict voice. But her heart melt almost immediately, when she saw his face; it had so joyful and excited look in it. Rukia just couldn´t stay mad at him.

"You have to come and see it!" Rikuo yelled and grabbed her hand. Rukia looked the documents and then Rikuo.

"I can´t I have to…" Rukia tried to resist but Rikuo had already started to drag her away.

"Wait Rikuo, I…" Rukia said and turned her head to look behind her and saw Kiyone standing there with her thump up. Rukia wasn´t sure was she supposed to grin or smile, but then she just followed Rikuo without hesitation.

* * *

Rikuo led her straight to the 12th squad´s barracks and there in his own room. It wasn´t pretty big, it had a bed and writing desk, and of course large books selves filled with books. When they got inside the room, Rikuo let go of her hand and headed to the bookself. Rukia looked around, it seemed surprisingly normal room.

"You know, you´re the first person I ever brought in here", Rikuo said with a smirk on his face. Rukia had very surprised look on her face when she turned to look at him.

"This is it", Rikuo said and took one of the books out, and then the book selves opened by themselves.

"This way", Rikuo said and went inside. Rukia swallowed nervously and walked after him.

The whole room was completely black except one small spot, which was at the middle of the room. There was small table and on top of it was small black ball. Rukia slowly approached it and suddenly Rikuo was standing next to her.

"Ain´t it beautiful?" Rikuo asked with proud in his voice. Rukia turned to look at Rikuo with questioning face.

"I isn't a surprise that you were drawn to it, because it has your reiatsu in it", Rikuo said and smiled at Rukia.

"Mine?" Rukia asked and pointed at herself, then she looked at the ball again.

"It needed massive amount of reiatsu to create this, and mine wasn´t enough so I borrowed some of yours." Rikuo explained still his eyes fixed on the ball.

"What is it?" Rukia asked fascinated by the ball also.

"It´s a time traveling device, with this you can travel back in time", Rikuoa said with excited voice. Rukia was shocked and her eyes widened.

"A…what?" Rukia asked and turned to look at Rikuo, he was still staring at the ball.

"A time machine, with this you can go back in time", Rikuoa said and turned to look at Rukia . Then he suddenly grabbed both of her arms and stared straight into her eyes.

"With this we can go back in time and save Shiba Kaien."

Hearing that name made something snap in Rukia´s head and her entire body came completely numb.

"Then you don´t have to feel guilty anymore, we can…" Rikuo srated but his speech was interrupted when Rukia suddenly slapped her. Rikuo was seemingly shocked.

"Who asked you to make something like that? Do you have any idea how dangerous that thing could be! Destroy that thing immediately!" Rukia screamed and then she rushed outside, leaving Rikuo sitting on the ground, crushed.

* * *

Rukia just kept on running she didn´t care where she was going, she just wanted as far as possible. When she finally was out of breath and she had to stop, she nearly fell to the ground. Rukia punched the roof of the building she was currently on and allowed herself to fell on her back.

* * *

After she had lied there for couple of hours, she was finally able to calm herself down and think straight. The way she had acted after hearing Kaien`s name was a little bit too radical. She didn´t have to yell at Rikuo or slap him, he was only trying to be nice. She had to go back and apologize to him; there was no reason for her to be mad at him.

And about the device, it was clear that if it worked it should be destroyed, in secrecy of course. Then Rukia finally summoned her courage and stood up, ready to head back to Rikuo. Just when she was about to head out, she saw a large explosion, which came from the 12th squad´s direction.

"Don´t tell me…" Rukia said but she couldn´t finish her sentence, as she rushed towards the explosion as fast as she could.

When she got there, several captains were already present, but only one of them noticed her.

"Kuchiki? What in the world are you doing in here? It´s dangerous!" Captain Ukitake yelled at her. Rukia didn´t care and just rushed to him.

"What´s going on?" Rukia asked in horror. Ukitake seemed reluctant to answer her. Rukia looked around her and ten her eyes got a large white hurricane. Rukia looked it as closely as she could, and then she saw what she had been looking for; Rikuo was inside the great hurricane holding the small black ball.

"Rikuo!" Rukia screamed and rushed towards the hurricane, but Ukitake caught her.

"Don´t Kuchiki! There´s nothing you can do for him", Ukitake said, trying to stop her from going.

Rukia looked at the hurricane in horror; this was all her fault if she hadn´t been so stupid, this would have never happened. Her body went completely numb and Ukitake had to take better hold of her, to make sure she wouldn't fell to the ground.

"So how are we going to stop it? The other two shinigamis who tried to approach it were sucked in immediately", captain Hitsugaya said.

"If we can´t approach it, our only choice is to seal it away with kidou", captain Kuchiki said with a cold and rational voice.

"But how do we seal such a massive amount of reiatsu?" captain Kyoraku.

"It would require a person", captain Kuchiki said with a low voice.

That last comment made everyone quiet. Even though Rukia had seemed like she had been in a sleep; she had heard their entire conversation and was suddenly wide awake.

"I will do it", Rukia said with a quiet voice. It still didn´t stay unnoticed.

"What did you say Kuchiki?" Ukitake asked.

"I will do it, half of the reiatsu that, that thing is currently releasing is from me, so it shouldn´t be too big of a problem to seal it inside of me", Rukia said, now standing with her own two feet.

"But Rukia…" Ukitake started.

"We don´t have time! That thing is going to wipe out the entire Seireitei if we don´t do anything!" Rukia screamed pointing at the hurricane.

"That´s correct Kuchiki", said a deep voice behind them. Every shinigami turned around to look at the Supreme Commander.

"Indeed we don´t have time to waste, so captain Hitsugaya are you familiar with the sealing technique?" The Supreme Commander asked.

"Yes!" captain Hitsugaya nodded.

"Then let´s get started, we have no time to waste", supreme commander said.

Rukia took deep breath and turned around to give final glance at the hurricane, and the shinigami inside it.

"I´m so sorry, Rikuo."

When Rukia opened her eyes, the two of them were still fighting against each other.

"It really was my fault, Rikuo", Rukia said and a small tear fell from her eye, as she watched the two of them fight.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don´t own Bleach nor its characters!**


	13. Chapter 13

Ichigo swung his zankpaktou around like crazy but he wasn´t able to hit Rikuo at all. On the other hand Rikuo was able to wound Ichigo, quite many times; until finally one of Rikuo´s strikes but Ichigo on his knees. When Rikuo had swung his wings, one of them had hit Ichigo and the hit had opened a huge wound to his chest.

Rikuo jumped about three meters away from Ichigo and stood there to look at him. They had changed sides, now Rikuo was in front of Rukia and Ichigo had her behind him. For the first time after he had released his bankai, Rikuo looked at Rukia who was sitting behind Ichigo, frozen in to the chair. Her reiatsu was weakening every minute and she was already staying here by just cheer willpower.

"_I can´t drag this any longer, she is starting to fade away", _Rikuo thought and then moved his gaze to his opponent.

"_Sorry Kurosaki Ichigo, it seems like I´ll have to end it right now", _Rikuo send telepathic message to Ichigo´s head. Ichigo looked at him with questioning face.

"_Don´t look so surprised, I´m just going to end this with one blow." _After saying that Rikuo lifted his arm, to point straight at Ichigo.

Ichigo just stared at Rikuo´s hand, wondering what he would do. Then out of nowhere a blue light started to gather in Rikuo´s hand and the ball it created just kept on growing. Ichigo´s eyes widened out of shock, when he woke up from his admiration.

"If that´s what you´re going to do then I´ll do the same", Ichigo said with confident voice and put both of his arms around zangetsu; then he started to gather reiatsu.

Rukia looked both of them in horror as they gathered around as much reiatsu as they could. She had never thought it would eventually come to this; this is not what she had wanted. All of this was her fault from the beginning; why people always had to try and save her, despite knowing they would risk their own lives. Why did anyone even care about her? What she had done to even deserve it? Before she even noticed it, tears started to fall from her eyes and she had to lower her head.

"Stop…Ichigo…Rikuo…just stop…" She said with so weak and quiet voice that it was impossible for them to hear her, but she still wished they could hear her.

Rikuo looked curiously as Ichigo gathered his reiatsu.

"_Good job boy but not enough", _he said to Ichigo, when he was done collecting his reiatsu.

"_Just be a good boy and die!" _Rikuo yelled as he sent giant mass of reiatsu towards Ichigo.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo yelled and was just in time able to counterattack before the mass of reiatsu hit him.

Neither one of them backed up as the masses of reiatsu crashed one another. They just stood there sending reiatsu out. For a while it seemed like the whole place would blow up; until the reiatsu just disappeared and both of them had disappeared. Then they just reappeared and Ichigo had his zankpaktou stabbed through Rikuo.

Rukia noticed herself holding her breath; even thought she was happy that Ichigo was alive, still part of her was shocked to see Rikuo stabbed.

"_So much for not having any emotions when I´m fused with my zankpaktou", _Rukia thought as she felt tears starting to fall from her eyes.

Rikuo was clearly shocked; how was it possible that a mere substitute shinigami could be able to stab him. Had he underestimated the boy´s powers? No! He didn't make mistakes! But how…

"How…boy…" was all Rikuo could say when he fell to the ground. As his body touched the ground he returned to normal and his zankpaktou appeared next to him on the ground.

Ichigo looked at Rikuo for a while until he suddenly started to cough hardly. He fell on his knees and put a hadn on his mouth. Then he realized a wound on his left side; even thought Ichigo had hit the vital point it didn´t mean that Rikuo had missed him entirely.

It took him a while until he was able to stand up again. When he was ready he stood up and turned around to look at Rukia; there she was as pale as ever. When Ichigo saw her fading figure he rushed quickly to her side. He cut the ice which was holding her and lifted her from the chair to her feet.

"You okay?" Ichigo asked and looked her face.

"Look who's talking…" Rukia said with so weak voice that Ichigo couldn't believe that the person in front of him was really Rukia.

"Yeah, I think both of us have seen better days", Ichigo said and tried to smile, but only thing he could manage was weak smirk. Rukia had to smile his look but the smile died as quickly as it had appeared.

After that everything seemed to move like in slow motion; Rukia glanced behind Ichigo and then pushed him aside to the ground.

"Hey! What are…" Ichigo started but his words were cut out. Rikuo had punched a hole through Rukia´s chest and pushed her against the wall. Rukia had still the surprised look on her face; it was clear that Rukia hadn´t still quite understood what had happened. And Rikuo; his face was like demon´s it had the creepiest smile someone could ever be able to put one´s face, and on top of that he started laughing.

"Even if I pull the piece out, I can always fuse it in my body before it disappears! Either way, now I have the last piece and the time machine is ready!" Rikuo screamed like crazy.

Then he pulled it out of Rukia´s body; it was small white cube and it seemed so ridiculous to Ichigo that something so small could be so frightening. But after the feeling passed he felt terrible déjà vu moment; it was exactly like with Aizen! On that time too he had just been lying on the ground looking helplessly.

After Rikuo had got the thing out of Rukia´s body he jumped backwards and Rukia fell to the ground.

"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled and rushed to her. Unlike in the Aizen´s case she still had that terrible wound in her chest and it was bleeding heavily. Without help she could die any minute.

"_I need help! But who…I don´t…maybe Inoue…no…what am I…" _Ichigo thought in panic. He kept swinging his head from side to side, trying to figure something to do. Then he suddenly felt a small and cold hand on top of his hand, and turned to look at Rukia. Oh god, she seemed so weak and vulnerable.

"It´s…okay…Ichigo…" Rukia was just barely able to say and then Ichigo saw blood falling between her lips.

"No don´t say that! You´re going to be okay!" Ichigo yelled trying to convince more himself than Rukia. He turned his head again and saw her legs, they had started to disapper in front of her.

"I think…I know…my body better than you…Ichigo", Rukia said with a weak smile on her face.

"I don´t feel my legs anymore…and telling from your look they have started to disappear…"

Ichigo just couldn´t bear to look at her, she had always known how to read his thoughts without even trying.

"That…happens to all shinigamis…when we die…we turn to dust…I just have…one request…will you listen to it…Ichigo?" Rukia said and once so strong and determined voice was now just a weak whisper. It took every power he had left in him to turn to look her in the face; already half of her had disappeared.

"Yes…Rukia?" Ichigo asked and swallowed, he knew that tears weren´t long away.

"Stop…him…" Rukia said and suddenly some fire had returned on her eyes; and just for a second it seemed like she might actually pull through, but then the moment passed and she was still disappearing.

Then Rukia lifted her hand (Ichigo could see right through it) and put it on top of Ichigo´s heart. Ichigo didn´t move an inch, he was afraid that if he would that fragile creature would disappear.

"I…" Rukia started and Ichigo saw that it took so much out of her just to say those words, but Ichigo didn´t stop her.

"I…leave…my…heart here", Rukia said and then her hand fell down from Ichigo´s chest. Ichigo tried to grab her hand but it fell straight through his hand.

"Rukia…I have wanted to say you something…I just…" Ichigo started but then he saw Rukia´s eyes, and a crazy thought came in his mind that Rukia already knew. Still he wanted to say it out loud before it was too late.

"Rukia…I…" Ichigo said but then she gave her last smile and shattered to pieces right in front of Ichigo, it seemed like snow.

"I love you!" Ichigo screamed even though he knew it was too late.

He punched the ground as hard as he could. He just couldn´t believe it, it wasn´t possible! She just couldn´t be dead! Then he heard loud noise behind him and that was the first time in a while that he remembered Rikuo. After getting up he turned around to look at Rikuo. He had the black ball and white cube in his hands and his was fusing them together.

"Why…" Ichigo whispered and squeezed his hand.

"Why, did you kill her!" Ichigo screamed as loud as he could. And Rikuo seemed to hear him and turned to look at him. Ichigo had tears in his eyes but including that he had started to gather massive amount of reiatsu.

"Without the missing piece the time machine couldn´t be completed", Rikuo just said with a cold voice.

"Was, it really worth it! You just killed Rukia! You killed her for something so minor!" Ichigo screamed in rage.

"What, could you understand boy! After you have lived as long as I have, maybe then you can understand", Rikuo said to Ichigo, he was clearly shaking from rage.

"You loved her didn´t you!" Ichigo screamed. That felt like someone had kicked him in the gut.

"So what…So what!" Rikuo screamed. Ichigo was clearly shocked about this answer but he was recovered quickly.

"You´re a monster!" Ichigo said and took a hold of his zankpaktou with both of his hand, then a hollow mask appeared on his face. Rikuo seemed surprised for a while until he stared to gather energy also in his hand.

"Die boy!" Rikuo said as he send the energy flying towards Ichigo, but it wasn´t nearly enough to stop Ichigo, when he launched his attack. Rikuo took the direct hit and fro a minute the whole palce was just shaking under Ichigo´s attack.

Then the dust cleared and Rikuo fell down to his knees. He was full of wounds and he was coughing blood.

"It seems this is as far as I go", Rikuo said with a smirk on his face. Then he glanced at Ichigo, he was on the ground and was breathing heavily.

"Kurosaki Ichigo…"

Ichigo tried to stay up but his feet gave in and he fell to the ground.

"Shit", was all that he was able to stay; that last attack had took all of his remaining powers. He was about to stand up when he saw a shadow forming above him; he lifted his face and saw Rikuo standing in front of him. Ichigo reached out for his zankpaktou, but Rikuo lifted his hand and Ichigo saw that, that was only thing that he was able to do; he was finished anyone could see that.

"Kurosaki Ichigo…you were right…" Rikuo said with defeated voice. Ichigo lifted his eyebrows in question.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked but Rikuo just smiled. Then he lifted his face to look at the ceiling.

"I hope you won´t repeat the same mistakes I did…" Rikuo said and then he looked at Ichigo with a mysterious smile.

"Make sure to protect her at all cost", Rikuo said and then he disappeared just like Rukia, to the dust and the small black ball fell to the ground.

Ichigo couldn´t believe that he had actually won; but he had. And yet he didn´t feel happy at all. He punched the floor again. It didn´t matter at all, Rukia was dead! What anything mattered to him anymore!

"Ichigo." Ichigo heard all too familiar voice calling out for him. He couldn´t believe it as he turned around to look. It was true; Rukia was standing there.

"Rukia…" Ichigo said in disbelief, was this a dream; had he lost and was now dead? But then he noticed Rukia´s smile and was determined that this was not a dream.

"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled and rushed to her, and then he grabbed her in his arms and hugged her.

"I can´t believe this!" Ichigo yelled. Rukia put her small arms around him and hugged him back.

"I know. I know", Rukia said with knowing tune.

After a while Ichigo separated from Rukia; and for a while they just stared at each other´s eyes. Then when Ichigo was about to talk again he noticed something and turned his head away.

"What?" Rukia asked and lifted her other eyebrow with questioning face.

"Well…that´s…well…your…" Ichigo said and his face was turning completely red. Rukia looked at herself and then her face turned red too. She couldn´t help herself; she screamed and then punched Ichigo in the face.

"Don´t look idiot!" Rukia yelled.

After finally calming herself down Rukia was on the ground covering herself with her arms and legs, Ichigo turned around. Then something warm fell on top of her. Rukia turned around to look and noticed that Ichigo had taken of the top of his kimono.

"There, it´s little bit duff, but it should enough for you to cover yourself up", Ichigo said still looking away with red face. Ruki had to smile, to his innocent face.

"Thank you, Ichigo", Rukia said and wrapped herself in the kimono.

After she had dressed up, she stood up and turned around to look at Ichigo, with a smile on her face, but it soon disappeared.

"But what happened in here?" Rukia asked. Ichigo shrugged his shoulders.

"Well after Rikuo disappeared, you appeared", Ichigo simply said. Something moved inside her.

"He´s…dead…" Rukia asked swallowing heavily. Ichigo nodded.

"Yes." Rukia let out a deep sigh.

"I see", was all she could say and then her eye caught the object behind Ichigo. Ichigo noticed the sudden change in her face and turned to look behind him. The ball was still there where Rikuo had dropped it.

Rukia took a deep breath and walked to it; then she lifted it up and rolled it around in her hands. Suddenly she laughed.

"Funny, how things turn out sometimes", Rukia said with a mysterious tune. Ichigo looked at Rukia with worried look on his face. Then suddenly the ball was completely freezed in Rukia´s hands. Ichigo looked at Rukia´s face, it didn´t show any emotions. Then Rukia dropped the ball to the ground and it shatter to million pieces.

"Let´s go", Rukia said and walked past Ichigo.

"Maybe it was him", Ichigo said and it made Rukia stop.

"Maybe he used that thing to bring you back to life." Rukia still didn´t stay anything.

"All of the things he did, don´t you think there was something he wanted to change?" When the words hit her, it was almost impossible to comprehend the words.

"_He couldn´t have…", _Rukia thought and squeezed her hand.

"Rukia…" Ichigo stared but then he heard noise and turned around just to see Renji running towards them waving his hand.

"It´s Renji. It seems out time is up", Ichigo said to Rukia. Rukia took a deep breath before turning around.

"_Thank you for everything you did for me, Rikuo. Goodbye", _Rukia though as he walked next to Ichigo.

When Ichigo saw her face, Ichigo just knew that Rukia knew what had happened and why. But he also knew not to ask anything, if she wanted to tell she would. but one thing he was certain of; whatever had happened Rukia had made peace with it and had decided to move on.

* * *

**The story it almost at it´s finish lines, but I want to thank you all for your reviews and support:D**

**There is still going to be an epilogue until the end!**

**Disclaimer: I don´t own Bleach or its characters**


	14. Epilogue

"Come on Ichigo! You lunatic! What are you doing?" Rukia yelled at Ichigo and turned around to look at him. Ichigo sighed and scratched the back of his head.

"There is no need to hurry, it´s not like we´re are going to be late or anything", Ichigo out of frustration. Rukia put both of her hands on her hips and glared at Ichigo.

"It doesn´t mean you should walk like a slug! Strawberry!" Rukia yelled at him. A vein popped in Ichigo´s forehead and his face was turning red from anger.

"I´m surprised you can even walk that fast with your short legs! Midget!" Ichigo yelled and immediately after he had said it a shoe landed on his face. He hadn´t expected it so he fell down.

"I´m so sorry Kurosaki-kun! My hand just moved on its own. Do you mind bringing me my shoe", Rukai said with a fake smile on her face, while holding her leg in the air.

Ichigo just sighed and bit his teeth together, while looking for the shoe from around him. After he saw it, he just grabbed it and stood up. But he didn´t start to walk towards Rukia. For a while Ichigo just kept on staring at her. It has already been two months since the incident. They were on their way to the festival, which was held in the town. Everyone was waiting them there.

"Ichigo? What´s wrong?" Her voice woke Ichigo up and he shook his head.

"Nothing", Ichigo just mumbled and returned to look at Rukia, she had slight worry on her face. Ichigo sighed and walked towards her.

"Seriously it´s nothing. Here, your shoe", Ichigo said and handed a small sandal over to Rukia. Rukia seemed like she wanted to say something but gave up and just took the shoe from Ichigo, and put it on her feet.

"Shall we go?" Ichigo said and without waiting for reply continued forward. After staring a while at his back Rukia followed him.

* * *

Both of them walked in complete silence. After a while Ichigo glanced at Rukia, who had neutral look on her face. Then his face move to look at Rukia´s clothes. Since they were going to a festival his sister Yuzu had insisted that Rukia had to put on kimono. At first Rukia had declined but gave in soon to Yuzu. Fortunately Ichigo could go just in his t-shirt and jeans. And fortunately Yuzu had insisted that Rukia should dress up, she looked gorgeous.

She had a completely white kimono, which was sparkling a little bit, because of the fabric. The fabric had small silver snow petals at the hem. The whole kimono was tied up by a violet ribbon, which matched Rukia´s eyes. Her hair was curled up and was just waving freely; it was now almost as long as Inoue´s hair, if not even longer.

Ichigo had to admit that her sister really knew what she was doing. His smile soon dried up when he remembered all the stuff she had to go through couple months back. He had to bit his teeth together to calm himself down. Rukia had gone so close to death it scared the shit out of him. But after the invention was destroyed she seemed to return to normal. Urahara also said that there was nothing wrong with her body; and that the crisis was over.

After all of that Rukia didn´t say anything about Rikuo, like if she had completely forgotten him, but Ichigo knew that wasn´t the case she just kept on shouldering everything again. Ichigo looked at Rukia again; then he suddenly blushed and turned to look away. This time Rukia noticed it and turned to look at Ichigo.

"What´s the matter Ichigo, your face is all red?" Rukia said while lifting her eyebrow.

"It´s nothing!" Ichigo yelled and kept on looking the other way. Rukia just sighed and let it go.

* * *

After a while of walking in silence again, Ichigo turned to look at Rukia.

"Hey, Rukia?" Ichigo asked and Rukia turned to look at him with a questioning face.

"Yes?" She asked. Ichigo felt a little bit bad for asking, but he had to know for certain.

"When we were in the cave and Rikuo had just stabbed you. And you had almost disappeared… " Ichigo started and glanced at Rukia; her face was emotionless but she bit her lower lip.

"Yes", she asked reluctantly.

"Then I said something to you…" Ichigo gulped; it was now or never.

"…did you hear me back then?"

It was silent for a moment and Rukia seemed really surprised.

"I´m not sure…" Rukia started and they suddenly heard loud voices from in front of them. Both of them turned to look in front of them; it was Ishida and the others.

"It´s okay if you didn´t, it was nothing important", Ichigo said and kept on walking forward.

Rukia looked at him as he passed her, and sighed out of frustration.

"Boys…" She said and scratched the back of her head.

"Hey Ichigo!" Rukia suddenly yelled. Ichigo seemed really surprised and turned to look at Rukia. Before he could say anything Rukia had grabbed his head between her hands, and pressed her soft lips against his. After Rukia backed away from Ichigo she had a faint blush on her face.

"We shouldn´t keep others waiting", Rukia said and started to walk forward.

As she passed Ichigo she whispered so quietly that only he could hear her.

"On the record I did hear you", she whispered as she passed him. Ichigo´s eyes widened out of surprise and he turned quickly around to look at Rukia, who walked like nothing had happened. Then she suddenly turned around and put a finger in front of her mouth. Ichigo couldn´t help but smile at her.

"No wonder I fell for her", he mumbled to himself.

* * *

**It has finally come to an end! Thanks for all of your support and reviews!**

**Disclaimer: I don´t own Bleach**


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